This report highlights adaptations and innovations by Ukrainians in their struggle against Moscow’s disinformation campaign since the Russian war on Ukraine started. As part of the project, the International Forum on Democratic Studies conducted more than fifty expert interviews and hosted a series of convenings with counter-disinformation experts from Ukraine and across Europe which inform the analysis. The research identified three advantages – deep preparation, open networks of cooperation, and active utilization of new technology – that have allowed civil society organizations and governments in Ukraine and Central and Eastern Europe to build trust and tell Ukraine’s story, unite Ukrainians and their allies, and ensure resilience in the face of authoritarian disinformation campaigns.
Given the threat of disinformation around the world, it is critical that democratic societies learn from the experiences in Ukraine and work together to affirmatively and purposefully confront this global challenge.