Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
If proven accurate, the protests are probebly meant to support the Russian narrative of the Ukrainian government being illegitimate.
Ukrainian officials say Moscow is preparing a new effort to stir unrest inside the country as diplomatic discussions over ending the war continue, Institue for the Study of War (ISW) reports in its Dec 9. 2025 update on the war.
The alleged plan, they warn, could attempt to portray public discontent where none exists.
The claims come amid repeated efforts by the Kremlin to question the legitimacy of Ukraine’s leadership, a narrative Russia has pushed since long before its full-scale invasion.
Planned unrest
According to ISW, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on 8 December that Russian intelligence agencies are attempting to organise what would appear to be “peaceful protests” in major cities across the country’s south and east.
According to his statement, the goal is to unsettle domestic politics at a sensitive moment.
ISW cites Lubinets for saying that women are being targeted for recruitment, particularly mothers whose relatives are prisoners of war or listed as missing. He argued that the Kremlin wants to use their participation to intensify pressure on Kyiv’s political and military leadership during ongoing peace talks.
Legitimacy narrative
Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior figures have repeatedly advanced the claim that President Volodymyr Zelensky no longer holds legitimate authority. Analysts note that such assertions rely on selective readings of Ukrainian law.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian intelligence services identified an information operation known as “Maidan-3,” which they said was designed to undermine confidence in Zelensky by spreading doubts about his constitutional mandate.
Wider strategy
The newly reported protest scheme appears to fit into the same pattern, Ukrainian authorities say, by suggesting that the government lacks public backing.
ISW has previously assessed that Russia could use accusations of illegitimacy to walk away from any future peace deal whenever politically advantageous.
Kyiv officials argue that exposing these plans is essential to blunting their impact and maintaining international support.
Sources: ISW reporting and Ukrainian government statements.
