Unmasking Russian Propaganda - with Thomas Kent

Why should we take Russian propaganda seriously? Why is it so deeply rooted in Russia’s authoritarian vision of society and politics? What lessons can we learn from Russia’s war against Ukraine about information warfare? And how should the West change its strategies — and do so quickly? *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Thomas Kent, a leading expert on Russian propaganda, disinformation, and journalistic ethics. He is a former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and spent many years at the Associated Press. His latest book, published in August 2026, is called The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War: Information Warfare by Russia, Ukraine, and Western Nations — Lessons Learned for Future Conflicts. In this episode we will talk about this book. Link to the book: https://www.afpc.org/publications/books/the-propaganda-manual-of-the-ukraine-war-information-warfare-by-russia-ukraine-and-western-nations-lessons-learned-for-future-conflicts *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en *** SUPPORT: You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding. You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. *** Contents: 0:00 Intro 1:59 What is Thomas Kent's new book about and why did he decide to write it? 3:51 Does Russia have a long and deeply rooted tradition of propaganda essential to its state survival? 5:39 How does Russia view information, not as a tool for peace, but as a weapon of war? 6:32 How have Ukraine's information operations been more successful compared to Western efforts? 7:38 Why has the West's communication been "muddled" due to a lack of clear strategy for the war? 9:53 What factors led to the West's loss of confidence in conveying its message to an international audience? 12:07 How does propaganda make messages credible by leveraging existing beliefs and using "unified theories"? 15:13 What are the tactics of "laundering information" and "hijacking credible sources" to spread propaganda? 17:22 How effectively has Russia used the fear of nuclear attack to deter Western aid to Ukraine? 20:23 How has Ukraine successfully leveraged humor and wit as an "important currency" in information warfare? 23:00 What is "strategic imagination" and other key strengths of Russia's information operations? 29:02 What were Russia's key failures in information warfare, particularly in defending its reputation and influencing Ukrainians? 33:59 What are Ukraine's strengths in information warfare, including its virtuous cause, courage, and creative fundraising tactics? 36:53 What are Thomas Kent's recommendations for the West to improve its information strategies, including the need for a clear strategy, volume, cleverness, and physical world activity?