Zelenskey should prepare himself against Putin lashing out dangerously against Ukraine

In 2014, Peter Pomerantsev (left) warned us that Putin was 'weaponizing' information about his war with Ukraine.

In his book, “Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible”, he exposes how,

"...The crisis in Ukraine has been fought just as much through the telling of its narrative as through its deployment of weaponry.
...
Russia has directed its propaganda campaign to devastating effect, not only at home but through international ventures like the television news channel RT (formerly Russia Today), which continues to expand, most recently opening an affiliate in South America and announcing a ­London-based version to focus exclusively on Britain. It’s an information war ... " (Miriam Elder : New York Times : 25 November 2014) (my emphasis)

Youtube : 5 December 2014

Fast forward to June of 2017 and we have The Week's staff  reporting that,

"What is Russia doing?

It's conducting a global disinformation campaign of unprecedented scope. Russia's interference in last year's U.S. election — when hackers stole and released emails from high-profile Democrats — wasn't an isolated incident.
.....
Kremlin-linked hackers have been active in French and German elections, promoting far-right parties.
.....
They are also believed to be behind the hack of Qatar's state news agency last month, when made-up quotes from the country's leader, expressing support for Israel and Iran, sparked a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia." (The Week : 24 June 2017) (my emphasis)

And during the current global Corona Virus epidemic, Robin Emmott (left) reports that,

"Russian media have deployed a “significant disinformation campaign” against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, according to a European Union document seen by Reuters."
...
“A significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19 is ongoing,” said the nine-page internal document, dated March 16, using the name of the disease that can be caused by the coronavirus. (Reuters : 18 March 2020) (my emphasis)

(cf: also "Russia's top corona virus 'fake news' stories" (Andrew Rettmann : Euobserver : 27 March 2020))

Against this disinformation campaign by Putin about the Corona Virus epidemic ,

"Russia-backed militants kept violating the ceasefire. They fired at Ukrainian troops’ positions from Minsk-proscribed 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, antitank missile systems, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms." (UA Crisis : 30 March 2020) (my emphasis)

Putin is not having it all his own way.

UA Crisis further reports that,

• Kyiv disagreed with establishment of the Consultation Council in its preliminary setting.
•  Instead of officially creating the Consultation Council, the Ukrainian delegation suggested Russians to extend consultations on the matter.
• “Eighty per cent of Russian supplies are useless”. On March 25, when a convoy of Russian “Kamaz” trucks with tricolor flags started to Bergamo, Italy’s “La Stampa” newspaper quoting its own sources among high-level authorities and at the General Staff wrote that bigger part of Russian aid sent in to the country [Italy], is useless.
• In try to use the coronavirus pandemic to their benefit, Russian diplomats are actively promoting the statement that sanctions are worth lifting as a sign of solidarity in the face of a global threat.

However, the EU sanctions brought against Russia because of Putin's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, and his ongoing war with Ukraine in the Donbas, is to remain in place.   
 
As Ukrinform reports,

"The Council of the European Union has adopted a decision to extend sanctions against the Russian Federation until September 15, 2020 over actions undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine, according to the Council’s press release." (Ukrinform : 31 March 2020) (my emphasis)

The dramatic fall in the price of oil, precipitated by the global corona virus epidemic, has hit Putin's Russian economy very hard.

As reported by the Moscow Times,

"Russia will create a 300-billion ruble ($4 billion) anti-crisis fund to try to shield its economy from the coronavirus shock, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Monday
....
Andrei Belousov, his first deputy, said last week that Russia may miss its economic growth target this year, originally set at 2%, while economists have warned that the country's economy may turn negative amid low oil prices and slower business activity." (Moscow Times : 20 March 2020) (my emphasis)

Putin has been caught on the back foot by a virus that he has absolutely no threatening influence over.

Now, more than ever, Zelenskey should prepare himself against Putin lashing out dangerously against Ukraine, as evidenced by the increase in shooting attacks by his Russian soldiers and proxies against Ukrainian forces in the Donbas.

(to be continued)