Official Russian Government Accounts On Social Media Continue Posting Memes And Constant Trolling As Troops Invade Ukraine

As Russia proceeds with its invasion of Ukraine, the official social media accounts of the Russian government continue their campaign of gaslighting, memeing and trolling the rest of the world online.

The mocking memery and disinformation that the Russian government employs online are part of a growing toolbox of digital weapons that countries use against each other. The internet has become a notable theater of war over the last several years, and Twitter is one of its loudest and most contentious battlefields. For several days this week, this was the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' pinned tweet:

💬 #Zakharova: Today we mark another day of the “start of war with Ukraine,” which did not happen again, to the Western media outlets’ regret, no matter how hard they whip up the hysteria.❗️ See for yourselves what the collective Western media and officials’ words are worth. pic.twitter.com/m6IUaPnUsp

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 16, 2022

Of course, Russia’s tweets are only one part of its cyberwar arsenal. Bots and fake accounts are also purportedly used to amplify false narratives, as are state media outlets and fringe non-Russian media sources.

❗️ Below is a brief overview of #provocations prepared by the #US, which show clearly the kinds of tools that have long been an integral part of the American foreign policy.👉 Find more historical examples of the West-fabricated pretexts for aggression: https://t.co/MQ709Nm5f5 pic.twitter.com/8QAoGCr0AH

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 21, 2022

Russia also isn’t the only country to beef with others on Twitter. The spokesman for China's foreign minister, Lijian Zhao, engages frequently in the practice, and Donald Trump posted similarly during his time on the platform. Twitter has since cracked down on disinformation, limiting the range of Russia’s social media weapons, but the beef still stews between countries as the government-backed memes continue to become more prevalent.

First time we're seeing a 'euro bureaucrat' celebrating damage done by Brussels to businesses in EU Member-States 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/8RclbYUqxD

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 22, 2022

We lied. We cheated. We stole. pic.twitter.com/GMgMZFb9l7

— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) February 19, 2022

❗️ Below is a brief overview of #provocations prepared by the #US, which show clearly the kinds of tools that have long been an integral part of the American foreign policy.👉 Find more historical examples of the West-fabricated pretexts for aggression: https://t.co/MQ709Nm5f5 pic.twitter.com/cVml6gNkJZ

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 21, 2022

In the lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States participated in a similar campaign, posting intelligence it had received about Russia’s next moves in order to sway the narrative. Similarly, the European Union has created a Twitter account specifically to debunk Russian disinformation, tweeting links to articles that refute claims made by Russian government organizations.

Derelict hut or Casus Belli? Unfounded accusations of alleged "Ukrainian aggression" proliferate on Russian state-controlled media. https://t.co/HrljKJ8jJm

— EUvsDisinfo (@EUvsDisinfo) February 22, 2022

Here's the 2022 version of the pro-Kremlin #disinformation ecosystem by @selectedwisdom. It offers the most up-to-date public glimpse into the Kremlin's machinery seeking to subvert democracies worldwide. https://t.co/ZJMQecIegy

— EUvsDisinfo (@EUvsDisinfo) February 20, 2022

While certainly less aggressive than more traditional forms of warfare, Russia’s "mean" Twitter presence is part of a broader pattern of real-world aggression and psychological warfare that users online are starting to increasingly pay attention to.