How to read wartime propaganda critically

How can a reader avoid being misled by Russian or Ukrainian propaganda?

Read across sources, identify their interests and biases, and form a judgement from comparison rather than trusting one account completely.

The method begins with seeking out claims from multiple sides rather than trusting a single preferred source. Every source is shaped by perspective and incentives, so readers should synthesise evidence rather than accept any account wholesale. People often scrutinise subjects they know well while relying more heavily on trusted intermediaries when a topic lies outside their expertise. A practical classroom exercise is to read the same issue first in a publication one agrees with and then in one that frames it differently, using the contrast to expose assumptions on both sides. The later comparison of Polybius with Livy makes the same point for ancient history: even a method-conscious author or a favoured translation should sit beside other surviving accounts. The advice applies historical source criticism to current affairs and explains why confidence in a familiar commentator can spill into unrelated subjects.