Top PSYOPs of the Week (Oct 12–18, 2026): "Tomahawks" flying everywhere; Crimea "drowned" in the ocean; a 2,000-man UAF group twice "encircled" near Kharkiv. Goebbels's failed propaganda machine

— Donald, actually, that's the Black Sea...

Trump frowns, waves away the map, and shifts the blame to Biden:

— What does the sea or ocean matter?! The point is that Obama gave it to the Ukrainians, and Biden stole all the weapons! By the way, I personally sent a million Tomahawk cruise missiles to Zelensky!

— But Ukraine wasn't given a single Tomahawk... — the journalist mutters in surprise.

— Don't get in my way! — Trump screams. — Better write down that the Ukrainian circus performer Barnum personally fired all of them at Iran, which is why our arsenals ran dry!

Geographical and Military Fakes from Trump: Donald Trump claimed during a Newsmax interview that Crimea is washed by an ocean on all four sides and blamed Obama for its occupation. He also falsely alleged that the US supplied Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, claiming they were all fired at Iran by Volodymyr Zelensky (whom he called "Barnum"), causing US arsenals to run dry. In reality, data shows the US exhausted parts of its Patriot and Tomahawk stockpiles due to the Middle East conflict, but Ukraine never received a single Tomahawk.

The Myth of the "Kharkiv Encirclement": Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov falsely reported to Vladimir Putin the complete destruction of a 2,000-man UAF group in a "cauldron" in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, along with the capture of 28 settlements. Independent analysts like ISW completely debunked these claims as cognitive warfare, noting that Russian forces merely use small infiltration groups in a "chessboard" pattern while Ukrainian forces hold their ground. Gerasimov repeated similar fictitious encirclement claims twice (in September and October 2026).

Analyst Michael Naki highlighted that US Secretary of State: Marco Rubio falsely denied: White House involvement in throttling SpaceX Starlink speeds for Ukraine, claiming it was a temporary technical issue and falsely asserting that Ukraine never had access to the military-grade Starshield network (to which contracts were actually awarded in 2024). President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed targeted sabotage, revealing tests where Starlink terminals automatically disconnected above 161 km/h within Ukraine but operated normally at over 180 km/h inside EU countries. Because high speeds above 160 km/h are used strictly for interceptor drones to shoot down incoming Russian attack UAVs, this restriction provides no military advantage to Russia on the front lines, but directly impairs Ukraine's ability to defend its civilians from lethal drone strikes.

The "Belousov Concept" and Winter Terror: The occupiers have shifted from slow pressure on the frontlines to the "Belousov concept"—the targeted destruction of Ukraine's critical infrastructure to make life in Ukrainian cities unbearable. However, this terror plan is stalling due to Russia's limited missile resources, the decentralization of Ukraine's energy system, and the rapid improvement of air defense against jet drones, while Europe, amid US warnings about halting arms supplies, is forced to accelerate its own military production.

Iuliia Mendel's Interview with The Telegraph: Former presidential press secretary Iuliia Mendel gave a scandalous interview to The Telegraph calling Zelensky the "biggest obstacle to peace," claiming Russia cannot be defeated, and stating, "I'm not a Russian spy, I just want Ukraine to surrender." Media analysis notes that while mainstream outlets like The Telegraph don't accept direct bribes, they publish such fringe figures for shock value and clicks, which Russian propaganda then weaponizes. Written by US correspondent Iona Cleave—known for a diverse reporting range—the piece highlights Mendel's shift toward Western and far-right marginal groups (like Germany's AfD). This stands in sharp contrast to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's firm stance that "capitulation is not peace, it is conquest."

Goebbels's Propaganda Playbook and William Joyce: A historical parallel examining how Joseph Goebbels used radio (such as "Germany Calling" hosted by Anglo-American Nazi William "Lord Haw-Haw" Joyce) to break British morale after the fall of France in 1940. Despite massive listening numbers, the Nazi propaganda failed because BBC reporting remained honest, Churchill projected unwavering strength, and Britain swiftly neutralized its domestic fifth column (arresting fascist leader Oswald Mosley and hundreds of activists under Defence Regulation 18B). Joyce was eventually captured, tried for treason, and hanged—setting a precedent that propagandists for criminal regimes can be treated as war criminals (as noted by Kyiv journalist Leonid Sapozhnikov).

Read more in the Ukrainian edition....