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Transcript/ScriptRussia Ukraine Information War (TV)
HEADLINE: Russia Steps Up Battle for Hearts and Minds as it Masses Troops Near Ukraine Border
TEASER: Conflicting reports on Russian military pullback are one more chapter in an information war that has been going on for years.
PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 02/17/2022 10:30 am
BYLINE: VOA Moscow Bureau
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Moscow
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina
PRODUCER: Henry Hernandez
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Reuters, Skype
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV __ RADIO __
TRT: 3:08
VID APPROVED BY: BR
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: English narration by Marcus Harton))
((INTRO)) [[After almost two months of positioning for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow announces that it has begun the withdrawal of some of its units and that it is willing to negotiate with NATO. But doubts persist – including inside Russia - given the impossibility of knowing what Vladimir Putin really wants. Marcus Harton narrates this report from the VOA Moscow bureau.]]
((NARRATOR))
Russia’s defense ministry has shown images it says are of military personnel and materiel returning to their bases, after having carried out maneuvers along Russia’s border with Ukraine.
But Western powers don't believe Moscow is de-escalating the situation, and they offered new satellite images of Russia's increased deployment alongside Ukraine.
The way Moscow presents it, the situation is simple: Russia is carrying out maneuvers that do not threaten anyone.
((RADIO VERSION: Andrey Kortunov is director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a Moscow think tank.))
((Andrey Kortunov, Russian International Affairs Council (MALE IN RUSSIAN)
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“Russia does not consider it to be an issue. Russia's position is that routine military drills are going on in Russian territory and they should not cause any concern either with the Ukraine or the West.”
((NARRATOR))
But to the rest of the world, the intentions behind the Kremlin's walls are nebulous. Information and its management are a powerful weapon on what some observers are calling a new Cold War.
As some Russian analysts see it, the possibility of an invasion is great, as is the fact that this is an apparent strategy of creating military tension.
((RADIO VERSION: That is the view of Galina Sidorova, a political commentator in Moscow.))
((Galina Sidorova, Political Commentator (FEMALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA) ((Mandatory cg: SKYPE))
“We are in a 50/50 situation. On the one hand: yes, there is a certain movement, some military units seem to be retreating that due to the info, messages coming from the Russian Defense Ministry took part in some military drills. Some military units are retreating. On the other hand, it is quite evident that most of the troops are not so far disappearing anywhere and are still located along the border with the Ukraine.”
((NARRATOR))
From the Kremlin, the messages being broadcast appear contradictory depending on whether they are directed to the outside world or domestically. Analysts say Moscow uses its Russian-language media and propaganda to influence the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine.
((RADIO VERSION: Maria Avdeeva is with the European Expert Association, a research organization in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.))
((Maria Avdeeva, Researcher (FEMALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA))
((Mandatory cg: SKYPE))
“What we see is the huge wave of disinformation going on from Kremlin-backed sources, media sources and their aim is to create this chaos, to threaten society and to radicalize society.”
((NARRATOR))
Images presented by the Russian government show some of the Russian troops are withdrawing, and others remaining on the border with Ukraine. A full-scale assault has not yet begun, but the war to control information goes on - as it has for years.
((For the Moscow Bureau, Marcus Harton, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsConflict, War and Peace, Politics
Topic TagsUkraine
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 17, 2022 14:41 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
