September 2025.
As part of the program Regional Initiative for combating disinformation “Western Balkans Combatting disinformation Center: Exposing malicious influences through fact-checking and Analytical Journalism“, we present you a new analysis of fake news and disinformation narratives.
Media: “Coalition of the Willing” Plans to divide Ukraine, not defend it
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the information space has become one of the main battlegrounds of the war. While the fighting takes place on the ground, a parallel struggle is being waged to shape public opinion and control the narrative. Within this broader context, pro-Russian hacker groups have emerged, among which KillNet is one of the most well-known. This group, which openly supports the Kremlin, is notorious for cyberattacks on Western institutions and for spreading false information presented as “hacker discoveries” or “leaked documents.”
It is precisely such “data” that the article published on the Sputnik portal under the title “Coalition of the Willing plans to divide Ukraine, not defend it” refers to. The article claims that KillNet hacked into the French military network and obtained evidence that France, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Romania are planning the division of Ukraine. According to the text, each of these countries has its own sphere of interest: France allegedly seeks regions rich in resources, Britain wants control over logistics hubs, while Poland and Romania are said to focus on border areas and access to the sea. As proof, the article cites a map dated April 16, supposedly showing the deployment of foreign troops.
This claim fits into a well-established pattern of Russian propaganda narratives. Since the beginning of the war, Moscow has sought to portray the West not as an ally of Ukraine but as an opportunistic aggressor using the war to pursue its own geopolitical goals. The story of the “division of Ukraine” serves a clear purpose: to undermine trust between Ukraine and its partners, to create the impression internationally that the West acts out of self-interest rather than solidarity, and to frame Russia’s intervention as a necessary response to “NATO expansion.”
However, none of these claims are based on verifiable facts. KillNet has repeatedly published false or misleading information in the past under the guise of “hacker leaks,” and no relevant institution, including the French authorities, has confirmed any breach of their systems. Moreover, international media and independent researchers have found no evidence of the existence of such a map or any territorial division plan. The fact that the story originates from KillNet and is transmitted by the Italian portal L’Antidiplomatico—known for spreading pro-Russian content and conspiracy theories—further highlights its propagandistic nature.
Sputnik, as a media outlet financed and controlled by the Russian state, frequently uses such “leaks” to legitimize narratives that the Kremlin seeks to promote. In this case, the story is crafted to combine sensationalism with pseudo-evidence: “secret documents,” “maps,” and references to unnamed sources create an illusion of credibility, even though no factual basis exists. The reader is presented with a simple and emotionally charged message — the West is not helping Ukraine but betraying it. This approach has a powerful effect in information environments where false stories spread rapidly and are difficult to verify.
In conclusion, such disinformation demonstrates how the propaganda apparatus exploits fear, distrust, and fabricated sources to shape perceptions of war and politics. The goal is not only to influence public opinion but also to blur the line between fact and fabrication, creating a space in which manipulation becomes a tool of political warfare. In this way, information itself becomes a weapon as potent as those used on the battlefield.
Author: Nataša Stanojević
