Zelenskyy already wants to take the prisoners of war who were freed yesterday back to Ukraine! This is the fate of war they intend for all of Europe!
My name is Albert Román. I was born on August 22, 1978, in Mukachevo. A 48-year-old man is speaking — one of the two prisoners of war who were freed. Perhaps it is enough just to watch this video, and one can understand a lot about the horrors of war. I was born on August 22, 1978, in Mukachevo. They were forcibly conscripted and taken from Transcarpathia to the front. They fell into captivity, from which they have now been released with the help of the Hungarian government.
The Ukrainian authorities, despite my requests and pleas, did not help me and did not send an evacuation. And Zelenskyy’s people have already announced that they are looking for the two men of Hungarian nationality and would take them back to Ukraine, perhaps sending them back to the war.
This is what they intend — this fate, this war — for all of Europe. Brussels is a partner in this, the Tisza Party is a partner in this, but we are not.
🎭 Propaganda and Influence Techniques in the Text
The text is a classic political campaign message that uses the story of a prisoner of war to build a political narrative. It combines several rhetorical and propaganda techniques in order to provoke a strong emotional reaction and guide the reader toward a political conclusion.
Below are the most important techniques.
1️⃣ Use of a Personal Story (emotional storytelling)
Excerpt:
“My name is Albert Román. I was born on August 22, 1978, in Mukachevo… I was forcibly conscripted… I became a prisoner of war.”
Technique:
👉 personal story / testimony
Goal:
To present the war through the suffering of a specific individual.
Effect:
Readers can more easily identify with a person than with an abstract political issue.
➡️ “This is a real person, so what he says must be true.”
This can trigger strong empathy and outrage.
2️⃣ Witness Presented as Authority (testimonial)
Excerpt:
“A 48-year-old man is speaking… one of the two released prisoners of war.”
Technique:
👉 testimonial / appeal to witness authority
Goal:
To present the story as credible and unquestionable.
Effect:
The reader may feel:
➡️ “He was there, so he must know what happened.”
This can reduce critical thinking.
3️⃣ Strong Emotional Framing (fear + empathy framing)
Excerpt:
“Perhaps it is enough to watch this video to understand the horrors of war.”
Technique:
👉 emotional dramatization
Goal:
To portray the war as a shocking and deeply personal experience.
Effect:
The reader may experience:
- fear
- empathy
- anger
This strengthens the impact of the political message.
4️⃣ Hasty Generalization
Excerpt:
“This is the fate… the war that the Ukrainians want for the whole of Europe.”
Technique:
👉 generalization
Goal:
To draw a broad political conclusion from a single case.
Effect:
The narrative suggests:
➡️ “The Ukrainian leadership wants to bring war to all of Europe.”
This simplifies a complex reality.
5️⃣ Construction of an Enemy Image (othering)
Excerpt:
“Brussels is a partner in this, and the Tisza party is a partner in this.”
Technique:
👉 enemy framing / othering
Goal:
To portray the conflict as a struggle between political blocs.
Narrative:
- Ukrainian leadership
- Brussels
- the opposition
vs.
- “us”
Effect:
Readers may conclude:
➡️ “They want war.”
6️⃣ Fear Appeal
Excerpt:
“This fate… for the whole of Europe.”
Technique:
👉 future threat framing
Goal:
To present the story not only as the tragedy of one individual, but as a danger facing all of Europe.
Effect:
Readers may think:
➡️ “If this continues, it could happen to us too.”
7️⃣ Introduction of a Political Conclusion (campaign framing)
At the end of the text, a typical campaign logic appears:
- war
- enemy image
- political actors
followed by the conclusion:
➡️ “But we do not.”
Technique:
👉 political campaign framing
Goal:
To transform the story into a voting decision.
Summary
The propaganda in the text follows a classic narrative structure:
1️⃣ personal tragedy
2️⃣ emotional identification
3️⃣ naming an enemy
4️⃣ general threat
5️⃣ political conclusion
This model is one of the most common forms of campaign communication.