Russia has increasingly employed artificial intelligence to generate pro-war songs as part of its information campaign surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. Since early 2024, hundreds of AI-created tracks, spanning genres from ballads to heavy metal, have appeared on leading global streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Deezer. These songs generally glorify Russian military forces and frame President Vladimir V. Putin’s 2022 invasion as a justified defensive action, often depicting the frontline as a brutal environment while dehumanizing Ukrainians.
Many of the compositions echo themes found in Soviet-era war songs, updated in modern musical styles. One popular example, titled “Power of Artillery,” praises Russian artillery systems like the Krasnopol and Carnation with lyrics emphasizing the inevitability and destructive power of war. Others, like “Soldier’s Daughter,” present a more somber tone, lamenting the costs of conflict but still romanticizing sacrifice.
Research conducted by Terrecon, a nonprofit focused on threat intelligence related to Ukraine, cataloged nearly 1,000 AI-generated songs propagating pro-Russian war messages. The majority of these emerged after 2024, coinciding with the release of AI music generators such as Suno and Udio. The organization noted that AI enables rapid and cost-effective production of such content compared to traditional music creation.
The extent of official Russian government involvement in producing or promoting these songs remains unclear, but Moscow has actively sought to cultivate patriotic support for the war through cultural projects. In April, a Moscow-based Internet Development Institute reported more than 350 artistic endeavors promoting war sentiments, reflecting official efforts to mobilize social backing.
Streaming platforms have responded with varying policies toward AI-generated music. Spotify implemented a labeling system in late 2023 for AI content and reportedly does not recommend those tracks to users. Deezer and YouTube require disclosure of AI use in uploads, while others have less consistent standards. All major services maintain prohibitions on hate speech and incitement to violence, but enforcement can be uneven, particularly as many songs include idiomatic or foreign-language expressions that evade detection.
Terrecon’s testing revealed that while AI music generators often declined to produce compositions when given explicit violent or hateful prompts, they were still capable of generating propagandistic songs under less overt instructions. These tracks were then uploaded to platforms including YouTube Music and SoundCloud. Representatives for several streaming services emphasized their ongoing efforts to review disputed content, though some did not respond to requests for comment.
Observers note that the use of AI in this context represents a new dimension in Russia’s longstanding tradition of utilizing music as a patriotic tool. Nina L. Khrushcheva, a professor of international affairs at the New School, described the wave of AI-produced songs as a form of repeated simulation, lacking the authentic emotional resonance of Soviet-era war music that reflected shared historical experiences. She characterized the new phenomenon as “couch patriotism” — easy to consume but emotionally detached.
While the overall popularity of these AI-generated songs is difficult to measure, some have garnered millions of views. The track “Power of Artillery,” accompanied by a montage of weaponry, has been viewed over two million times on YouTube since its release two years ago. Its creator, Sergei Vaseykin, whose profile indicates he is from a Siberian village, has posted multiple similarly themed songs supporting Russia’s military efforts.
As artificial intelligence technologies continue to advance and proliferate, their application in conflict-related propaganda underscores the evolving challenges of digital information warfare in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.