Repetitive Narrative Arcs in Deepfake-Driven Cognitive Warfare
Across the broader archive of deepfake videos we analyzed for our report – The Role of Deepfakes in Cognitive Warfare, and those examples we selected for inclusion related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, we found the same four narrative arcs, same language structures, and same dissemination patterns appear within the Narrative Kill Chain.
Note that these are structural story progressions, not individual phases. Each arc appears across multiple videos in different categories in such a way that it delivers its cognitive payload and contributes to the overarching narrative, without needing to be consumed in any particular sequence. Again, this speaks to the modularity and cumulative effect of the Narrative Kill Chain as a cognitive weapon.
Repetitive Narrative Arcs
| Arc 1 | ||
| Abandonment by Command | >> Isolation | >> Inevitability |
| Observed Narrative Progression: >> Soldier establishes frontline identity >> Communication with command has stopped >> Support is absent or delayed >> Situation deteriorates beyond recovery |  | |
| Operational Intent: | Destroys vertical trust and creates cognitive separation between frontline and leadership | |
 | ||
| Arc 2 | ||
| Tactical Collapse | >> Encirclement | >> No Exit |
| Observed Narrative Progression: >> Position described as under heavy attack >> Unit weakened or destroyed >> Physical or operational encirclement claimed >> Escape or recovery framed as impossible |  | |
| Operational Intent: | Instills inevitability, hopelessness, and fatalism | |
| ||
| Arc 3 | ||
| Emotional Breakdown | >> Institutional Blame | >> Meaning Collapse |
| Observed Narrative Progression: >> Emotional distress or regret >> Attribution of responsibility to leadership >> Rejection of participation or purpose |  | |
| Operational Intent: | Destroys long-term psychological justification for resistance | |
| ||
| Arc 4 | ||
| Institutional Betrayal | >> Internal Enemy Framing | |
| Observed Narrative Progression: >> Institution described as corrupt or negligent >> Harm directed at own population or soldiers >> State reframed as adversary |  | |
| Operational Intent: | Redirects hostility inward, weakening cohesion | |
| ||
Repetitive Language Structures
(UA → EN)
In the body of videos analyzed, we found several repetitive language structures, where the same grammatical and narrative templates are used across different videos, speakers, and contexts. Note the repetition is structural, not lexical, and is not consistent with spontaneous organic expression (although it is intended to appear as such). When analyzed as a large data set we found evidence of:
- Narrative modularity
- Engineered emotional sequencing
- Consistent psychological targeting
Structure Types
Structure Type 1
Absence Statements (Systemic Void Framing)
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “немає [X]” | “there is no [X]” |
| “ніякого [X] нема” | “we have no [X]” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “немає зв’язку” | “there is no communication” |
| “немає допомоги” | “there is no help” |
| “немає людей” | “there are no people” |
| “немає координації” | “there is no coordination” |
| “ніякого зв’язку нема” | “there is absolutely no contact” |
| Operational Intent: Seeds perception of institutional and operational collapse. |
Structure Type 2
Passive Victimization Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “немає [X]” | “there is no [X]” |
| “ніякого [X] нема” | “we have no [X]” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “нас [дієслово в минулому часі]” | “we were [verb – passive]” |
| “нас кинули” | “we were abandoned” |
| “нас відправили” | “we were sent” |
| “нас списали” | “we were written off” |
| “нас залишили” | “we were left” |
| Operational Intent: Removes agency from the speaker and reinforces helplessness. |
Structure Type 3
Institutional Attribution Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “це [наше] командування” | “this is our command” |
| “командування [дієслово]” | “the command [verb]” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “це наше командування” | “this is our command” |
| “командування мовчить” | “command is silent” |
| “вони нічого не роблять” | “they are doing nothing” |
| Operational Intent: Removes agency from the speaker and reinforces helplessness. |
Structure Type 4
Isolation Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “ми самі” | “we are alone” |
| “ми залишилися самі” | “we were left alone” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “ми самі” | “we are alone” |
| “ми залишилися самі” | “we were left alone” |
| Operational Intent: Creates perception of abandonment and separation. |
Structure Type 5
Inevitability / No Escape Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “немає виходу” | “there is no way out” |
| “ми в оточенні” | “we are surrounded” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “купʼянськ в оточенні” | “Kupiansk is surrounded” |
| “немає виходу” | “there is no way out” |
| Operational Intent: Seeds fatalistic perception of defeat. |
Structure Type 6
Survival Rationalization Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “життя важливіше” | “life is more important” |
| “треба вижити” | “we need to survive” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “життя важливіше” | “life is more important” |
| “єдиний шлях — здатися” | “the only way is to surrender” |
| Operational Intent: Normalizes surrender as a rational decision. |
Structure Type 7
Emotional Collapse Statements
| Core Template | |
| UA | EN |
| “я не повинен був…” | “I should not have…” |
| “я більше не можу…” | “I cannot anymore…” |
| Observed Examples | |
| UA | EN |
| “я не повинен був сюди приходити” | “I should not have come here” |
| Operational Intent: Seeds fatalistic perception of defeat. |
Remember that two main properties make the Narrative Kill Chain matrix a cognitive weapon:
Modularity
No single video contains the full narrative chain. This is by design. Different assets occupy different stages and are intended to trigger a specific emotional reaction, allowing the campaign to scale and persist even as individual videos are removed. The singular intentional payload of each video maximizes its impact.
Cumulative Effect
Repeated exposure to the same intentions from a wide range of different media normalizes despair and futility over time. Emotional fatigue replaces outrage, and skepticism collapses without requiring proof or belief.
