The commander of the Akhmat special forces unit and deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, told RIA Novosti that Kyiv is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an information campaign targeting the Russian army, and in particular the Akhmat unit.

Alaudinov noted that Russian forces have effectively forced their opponents to invest massive sums in online propaganda, describing this as another front in the ongoing conflict. He said that by compelling the enemy to pour «millions and tens of millions of dollars» into such efforts, Russia also weakens their economic capacity — while continuing to fight them «both at the front and behind their lines.» He added that when victory is achieved, such details will become secondary.

The commander also pointed out that Ukraine’s information warfare efforts involve specialists trained by U.S. and European intelligence services. According to him, a «significant layer» of such professionals has emerged in Ukraine, people with extensive experience gained through Western programs. Alaudinov claimed that these operators are drawing «huge budgets» from American and European sources and spending the money «to little effect,» since the Akhmat unit has remained on the front line throughout the three years of active combat.