The Art of Dehumanization: Russia’s Use of AI to Attack Ukrainians
Kremlin propaganda keeps up with the times and increasingly uses artificial intelligence to demean Ukrainians and portray the decaying West, EUvsDisinfo recently reported. For example, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti spreads pure propaganda in opinion articles and editorial comments, and AI-generated illustrations are being used more and more to illustrate propagandistic texts.
Reigo Kimmel, Estonian AI trainer has stated:
“AI-generated images in propaganda are nothing new or particularly special, as there is little difference between illustrations for articles disparaging Ukraine or Europe being created using AI models or manually in Photoshop. AI has simply made the production of such content faster and more accessible.”
From Stock Photos to AI-Generated Hate
Propastop examines an EUvsDisinfoarticel on how Russia’s state media exploits AI-generated images to spread propaganda, dehumanize Ukrainians, and depict the West in turmoil. This modern adaptation of old disinformation tactics aims to fuel hatred and manipulate public perception.
RIA Novosti, a major Russian state-owned news agency, has long served as a mouthpiece for Kremlin propaganda. Its editorials and opinion pieces frequently depict Russia as a besieged fortress surrounded by enemies, justifying the ongoing war against Ukraine while promising a bright future for the Russian people.
AI-generated images used by RIA Novosti. Source: screenshot
Initially, these narratives relied solely on text, illustrated with simple stock photos. But in April 2024, RIA Novosti introduced AI-generated images, adding a powerful visual element to its disinformation campaigns. These fabricated images now accompany opinion pieces, depicting Ukrainians as vermin—rats, mice, hyenas, and pigs—while portraying Western nations in apocalyptic scenarios: the European Union as a band of monkeys or a sinking ship, the United States as a scheming Uncle Sam carving up Ukraine, and the UK as a bloated capitalist selling weapons. Such imagery is designed to evoke disgust, fear, and division.
A Darker World for Ukraine, Sunshine for Russia
A clear visual pattern emerges in RIA’s AI-generated propaganda: when depicting Ukraine or its allies, the imagery is filled with darkness—storm clouds, lightning, and destruction. The West is shown as a crumbling civilization, with scenes of New York in flames, the Reichstag overrun by zombies, and Big Ben collapsing. Meanwhile, articles about Russia feature idyllic scenes: golden fields, bright sunshine, and happy citizens marching toward a radiant future. The contrast is deliberate—reinforcing the narrative that Russia is strong and righteous while its enemies are doomed to chaos and ruin.
In Russian Ai-generated propaganda the West is collapsing and in Russia people are happy. Source: screenshot.
In February 2022, pro-Kremlin columnist Petr Akopov prematurely celebrated Russia’s victory in Ukraine, while in April 2022, Timofey Sergeytsev called for Ukraine’s destruction—both published by RIA with simple stock photos. This changed in April 2024 when RIA began using AI-generated images, increasingly depicting Ukraine with rats, mice, hyenas, pigs, clowns, or children.
Petr Akopov prematurely celebrated Russia’s victory in Ukraine in his “Arrival of the New World Order and Russia” article. Source: screenshot
Generative AI has allowed RIA, a leading pro-Kremlin outlet, to cheaply amplify hate speech by visualizing its authors’ toxic rhetoric. Part of the Rossiya Segodnya media group, heavily funded by the Russian state, RIA has grown into a dominant propaganda tool. Since February 2022, it has shifted from a traditional news service to a radicalized mouthpiece, with AI-generated images fueling hatred against Ukrainians, the EU, and Ukraine’s allies.
During the 20th century, genocidal regimes repeatedly sought to dehumanize ethnic groups by portraying them as vermin. National Socialist propagandists referred to Jewish people as rats. During the Rwandan genocide, Tutsis were called cockroaches. Russian state-controlled outlets like RIA are following this path, now aided by 21st-century AI technology.
Putin in diapers as a sign of danger
But trainer Reigo Kimmel considers the rapid development of video solutions to be much more dangerous than AI-generated images. “The development of AI video solutions is much more dangerous, where anyone can make anyone say anything, anywhere. For example, the Poles recently used AI to depict Putin in a feature film wearing diapers, but from the East, much more dangerous disinformation could emerge in this field.”
Originally planned as a gangster film, Vega shifted focus in 2022 to depict “Russia’s biggest gangster.” The film portrays Putin as ruthless and power-hungry, while also showing his weaknesses, such as a promotional image showing him sitting on the floor wearing a diaper. Blending dramatization with real events and fictional elements, the film spans Putin’s life from childhood to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In the latest Polish movie, Putin is shown holding rolls of toilet paper. Source: screenshot
The movie has sparked ethical debates over AI’s role in filmmaking. Vega defends his approach, citing significant public interest due to Putin’s alleged war crimes. He also claims Russian intelligence agents, posing as U.S. buyers, attempted to buy the script for $200,000—an offer he forwarded to Polish intelligence.
EUvsDisinfo, part of the EU’s diplomatic service under the High Representative, is a team of experts in communications, journalism, social sciences, and Russian studies. It combats disinformation, raises awareness, and strengthens resilience against manipulative narratives in Europe.
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