"Deception, Manipulation, Sabotage": Tactics Used by the UK to Sustain the Ukraine Conflict
Leaked documents reveal a covert military initiative that involves strategizing attacks, controlling media narratives, and manipulating the mindset of the British public. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Leaked documents have unveiled a secret military initiative involving the planning of attacks, controlling media narratives, and manipulating public opinion in the UK.
It's clear that under the Zelensky administration, Ukraine is far from being a free country. Following extensive repression, any political opposition is in shambles, facing ongoing oppression and harassment from the government, as even the French outlet Le Monde has observed.
In Ukraine, the public discourse is heavily constrained by nationalist propaganda and intimidation. Before the escalation in 2022, even a pro-Western entity like Freedom House recognized this issue. Its 2018 report, by Ukrainian scholar Vyacheslav Likhachev, described Ukraine’s Far Right groups as “a threat to democracy,” noting their aggressive attempts to impose their agenda violently against dissenting political and cultural viewpoints.
The media landscape in Ukraine offers little in terms of dissent. It is tightly regulated and often willing to conform—driven by misguided allegiance, fear, or self-interest. Even some of Ukraine’s Western supporters and brave critics within the country have called out the overt propaganda tactics of the Zelensky regime.
It's crucial to realize that the authoritarian tendencies seen in Vladimir Zelensky’s governance—previously lauded in the West—are not merely a response to the ongoing war. The political style of Zelenskyism, a term that may sound unappealing but is apt, has long been marked by deception and manipulation, moving towards authoritarianism by 2021, as many Ukrainian commentators had warned.
Should a future trial occur in Ukraine for Zelensky and his administration, their defense might try to attribute some of these tyrannical behaviors to the war's pressures. While that would be a considerable stretch, legal representatives often strive to mitigate the image of their most discredited clients.
However, this would not apply to Western allies of the Zelensky regime, who would find such a defense utterly absurd. This includes figures like Britain's Lieutenant General Charlie Stickland and his numerous associates.
General Stickland—who boasts a lineage of pirates and oversees "UK-led joint and multinational overseas military operations"—and his eclectic group were the subjects of an investigative piece by Grayzone reporter Kit Klarenberg. Klarenberg's two articles reveal how Stickland established a clandestine network in 2022 comprised of various experts and strategists under the title Project Alchemy. This group, which also overlaps with another faction humorously dubbed “the Elders,” has focused on sustaining the Ukraine conflict by any means necessary.
As highlighted by leaked documents, Klarenberg's reporting uncovers the peculiar jargon used by these military bureaucrats and self-styled intellectuals, blending an odd brand of youthful mischief with militarized corporate speak. Phrases like “fusion players,” “sideways thinkers,” and “moving at pace” illustrate the bizarre language of this initiative.
What are these individuals actually working on? Among other things, they hold to the misguided belief that the proxy war in Ukraine could serve to neutralize Russia and enact regime change. Some, including Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, the new de facto EU foreign minister, still appear trapped in this delusional line of thinking.
Within Britain, the Project Alchemy discussions reportedly included strategies for establishing sabotage networks reminiscent of NATO's Cold War operations, known as Gladio. While Gladio was specific to Italy, its counterparts existed in other nations, ostensibly to prepare for Soviet invasion and occupation.
Though one might think that generals planning for potential partisan warfare isn't inherently problematic, the reality is that Gladio operations were highly controversial, lacking democratic oversight and often linked to foreign intelligence. Moreover, these clandestine groups historically engaged in controversial activities against domestic leftists, including terrorism and manipulation.
A prominent British general seeking to learn from Gladio tactics in a country already rife with empowered far-right elements poses numerous risks. Turkey’s far-right militias are just a stone's throw away from an EU-NATO Europe that may soon be disillusioned. Stickland’s “sideways thinking” might echo Churchill’s rallying cry, but he seems to have forgotten that Churchill aimed to ignite resistance against fascism, not to collaborate with it.
This entire situation is concerning yet unsurprising. Project Alchemy has been prolific, generating dubious concepts with alarming frequency. Among the ideas discussed were proposed methods to subvert laws to facilitate violence, attacking Russia’s Kerch Bridge without considering the possible repercussions, developing strategies to manipulate British public sentiment in case of waning enthusiasm for the war, undermining BRICS-plus, restricting Russian media in the West, and employing legal and financial pressure to silence Western critical media, including the Grayzone itself.
It could be tempting to characterize this disinformation and manipulation trend in the West as a form of “Ukrainization,” suggesting that it exhibits the Zelensky regime’s detrimental patterns of behavior. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that Western nations have historically engaged in vast propaganda efforts during wartime.
In 2019, the Washington Post published in-depth reports revealing how the U.S. had, during its lengthy involvement in Afghanistan, been “at war with the truth.” While officials claimed progress, the reality was starkly different, as they were fully aware.
This was highlighted in the series known as the Afghanistan Papers, referencing the Pentagon Papers—an internal review of U.S. involvement in Vietnam leaked by whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, a victim of severe attempts to silence him. The U.S. intervention in Vietnam, which dated back to the 1940s and intensified in the 1960s, ultimately concluded with a total defeat of both Washington and its South Vietnamese allies.
The New York Times first publicized the Pentagon Papers in 1971. This was a long-overdue moment of truth, appearing only as the catastrophic Vietnam policy neared its end and mainstream media had long enabled the failure.
Compared to the Grayzone, which operates as an alternative media outlet, their journalists appear to engage in more genuine reporting than their mainstream counterparts. The larger media establishment, however, has yet to fully absorb the implications of the recent revelations regarding a conspiracy involving military think tanks and the deliberate manipulation of public sentiment, especially in light of the human costs involved. Many in the West are still not prepared to confront the harsh realities, even as Ukrainians continue to suffer for a conflict that often seems to serve merely as a tool for broader geopolitical strategies.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
It's clear that under the Zelensky administration, Ukraine is far from being a free country. Following extensive repression, any political opposition is in shambles, facing ongoing oppression and harassment from the government, as even the French outlet Le Monde has observed.
In Ukraine, the public discourse is heavily constrained by nationalist propaganda and intimidation. Before the escalation in 2022, even a pro-Western entity like Freedom House recognized this issue. Its 2018 report, by Ukrainian scholar Vyacheslav Likhachev, described Ukraine’s Far Right groups as “a threat to democracy,” noting their aggressive attempts to impose their agenda violently against dissenting political and cultural viewpoints.
The media landscape in Ukraine offers little in terms of dissent. It is tightly regulated and often willing to conform—driven by misguided allegiance, fear, or self-interest. Even some of Ukraine’s Western supporters and brave critics within the country have called out the overt propaganda tactics of the Zelensky regime.
It's crucial to realize that the authoritarian tendencies seen in Vladimir Zelensky’s governance—previously lauded in the West—are not merely a response to the ongoing war. The political style of Zelenskyism, a term that may sound unappealing but is apt, has long been marked by deception and manipulation, moving towards authoritarianism by 2021, as many Ukrainian commentators had warned.
Should a future trial occur in Ukraine for Zelensky and his administration, their defense might try to attribute some of these tyrannical behaviors to the war's pressures. While that would be a considerable stretch, legal representatives often strive to mitigate the image of their most discredited clients.
However, this would not apply to Western allies of the Zelensky regime, who would find such a defense utterly absurd. This includes figures like Britain's Lieutenant General Charlie Stickland and his numerous associates.
General Stickland—who boasts a lineage of pirates and oversees "UK-led joint and multinational overseas military operations"—and his eclectic group were the subjects of an investigative piece by Grayzone reporter Kit Klarenberg. Klarenberg's two articles reveal how Stickland established a clandestine network in 2022 comprised of various experts and strategists under the title Project Alchemy. This group, which also overlaps with another faction humorously dubbed “the Elders,” has focused on sustaining the Ukraine conflict by any means necessary.
As highlighted by leaked documents, Klarenberg's reporting uncovers the peculiar jargon used by these military bureaucrats and self-styled intellectuals, blending an odd brand of youthful mischief with militarized corporate speak. Phrases like “fusion players,” “sideways thinkers,” and “moving at pace” illustrate the bizarre language of this initiative.
What are these individuals actually working on? Among other things, they hold to the misguided belief that the proxy war in Ukraine could serve to neutralize Russia and enact regime change. Some, including Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, the new de facto EU foreign minister, still appear trapped in this delusional line of thinking.
Within Britain, the Project Alchemy discussions reportedly included strategies for establishing sabotage networks reminiscent of NATO's Cold War operations, known as Gladio. While Gladio was specific to Italy, its counterparts existed in other nations, ostensibly to prepare for Soviet invasion and occupation.
Though one might think that generals planning for potential partisan warfare isn't inherently problematic, the reality is that Gladio operations were highly controversial, lacking democratic oversight and often linked to foreign intelligence. Moreover, these clandestine groups historically engaged in controversial activities against domestic leftists, including terrorism and manipulation.
A prominent British general seeking to learn from Gladio tactics in a country already rife with empowered far-right elements poses numerous risks. Turkey’s far-right militias are just a stone's throw away from an EU-NATO Europe that may soon be disillusioned. Stickland’s “sideways thinking” might echo Churchill’s rallying cry, but he seems to have forgotten that Churchill aimed to ignite resistance against fascism, not to collaborate with it.
This entire situation is concerning yet unsurprising. Project Alchemy has been prolific, generating dubious concepts with alarming frequency. Among the ideas discussed were proposed methods to subvert laws to facilitate violence, attacking Russia’s Kerch Bridge without considering the possible repercussions, developing strategies to manipulate British public sentiment in case of waning enthusiasm for the war, undermining BRICS-plus, restricting Russian media in the West, and employing legal and financial pressure to silence Western critical media, including the Grayzone itself.
It could be tempting to characterize this disinformation and manipulation trend in the West as a form of “Ukrainization,” suggesting that it exhibits the Zelensky regime’s detrimental patterns of behavior. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that Western nations have historically engaged in vast propaganda efforts during wartime.
In 2019, the Washington Post published in-depth reports revealing how the U.S. had, during its lengthy involvement in Afghanistan, been “at war with the truth.” While officials claimed progress, the reality was starkly different, as they were fully aware.
This was highlighted in the series known as the Afghanistan Papers, referencing the Pentagon Papers—an internal review of U.S. involvement in Vietnam leaked by whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, a victim of severe attempts to silence him. The U.S. intervention in Vietnam, which dated back to the 1940s and intensified in the 1960s, ultimately concluded with a total defeat of both Washington and its South Vietnamese allies.
The New York Times first publicized the Pentagon Papers in 1971. This was a long-overdue moment of truth, appearing only as the catastrophic Vietnam policy neared its end and mainstream media had long enabled the failure.
Compared to the Grayzone, which operates as an alternative media outlet, their journalists appear to engage in more genuine reporting than their mainstream counterparts. The larger media establishment, however, has yet to fully absorb the implications of the recent revelations regarding a conspiracy involving military think tanks and the deliberate manipulation of public sentiment, especially in light of the human costs involved. Many in the West are still not prepared to confront the harsh realities, even as Ukrainians continue to suffer for a conflict that often seems to serve merely as a tool for broader geopolitical strategies.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
