Russia's Information Warfare: What Is It?
Russia's Information Warfare: What Is It?
Learn how the Kremlin uses lies to manipulate events & erode trust.
The Kremlin uses disinformation as a tool to manipulate events & erode trust beyond its goal of influencing public opinion. It aims to achieve political goals (chiefly, Putin's revanchist fantasies) through intricate information warfare strategies.
Their tactics are diverse, & constantly evolving:
Amplified Propaganda: Spreading biased or false narratives via traditional media & online channels (bots, paid influencers) - often targeting specific political agendas.
Information Warfare Operations: Disrupting information flows to influence public opinion on crucial issues like elections and international conflicts.
This article discusses a few of these tactics and explores the impact of Russian hybrid warfare strategies on global politics.
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Tactics
1. Create ‘Information Bubbles’, Amplify Narratives
Concept: This involves targeting specific audiences with tailored information to solidify their pre-existing biases or prejudices, creating echo chambers that limit exposure to opposing viewpoints. This can be achieved through carefully crafted online content and propaganda campaigns on social media platforms using algorithms designed for targeted advertising ("Information Bubbles", "Propagande Media").
Sample methods include:
Using fake accounts or bots on Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, etc. to sow discord by spreading disinformation.
Provocative online articles and analyses targeting one or more specific demographic(s) with inflammatory/hateful rhetoric.
Historical Example: In 2014's early stages of the Ukrainian crisis, Russia employed a multifaceted information warfare strategy, using targeted social media campaigns on platforms favored by anti-Western or nationalist audiences while leveraging pro-Russian propaganda channels like RT. A deliberate operation aimed at weakening Ukrainian civil society and media outlets was undertaken to spread disinfo about government actions in Ukraine.
"Ukrainian territories that Russia unlawfully occupies have served as a testing ground for the Kremlin’s information operations and provide us with a glimpse into its present and future propaganda tactics."
2. Fabricate Evidence, Spread Lies
Concept: This technique employs fabricated narratives that are then disseminated through various channels—social media, news outlets, websites, academic publications (sometimes even international organizations) to gain public support for desired policies or agendas and damage the opposing side's credibility. It can involve fabricating stories about their opponents' actions or motives.
Sample methods include:
Creating fabricated images or videos of events that never happened. ("Fabricated Evidence", "Propaganda with False Information").
Distorting or manipulating data to create false narratives, often used in scientific fields like climate change (“Fake Science”)
Historical Example: The Syrian Chemical Attack incident in 2013 exemplifies how Russia has weaponized disinformation for strategic advantage. Though not directly orchestrated by Russia, it benefited from their amplification via pro-Kremlin media channels like RT and other outlets aligned with Russian interests. Unsubstantiated claims of Syrian rebels using chemical weapons were intertwined with other disinfo campaigns to undermine international efforts (like the UN) to seek accountability.
"Despite successful multilateral cooperation at in 2015, the Russian Federation and its disinformation and propaganda ecosystem continued to portray the United States and the West as being roadblocks to the full success of Syrian peace talks."
3. Employ Provocative Tactics to Undermine Social Trust
Concept: This strategy involves using shocking headlines and dramatic images to trigger emotional reactions rather than rely solely on rational argumentation or logical reasoning. This can be particularly effective in shaping public opinion, often by deliberately creating fear, uncertainty, or anger ("Provocation", "Psychological Warfare").
Sample methods include: Utilizing shock-and-awe tactics for media and press to create a false sense of urgency. (“Black propaganda”, “Antisocial Media”)
Historical Example: The Salisbury attack of 2018 is a prime example: targeting UK government officials with alleged nerve agent poisoning, an incident Russia vehemently denied involvement in while fueling anti-Western sentiment by portraying the West as aggressors against Russia. This tactic also sought to erode confidence in global institutions like NATO and the UN.
"Media outlets RT and Sputnik perform a 'damage control' function for the Russian state during incidents such as the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and deploy a range of tactics to project Russian strength and construct news agendas."
4. Play the Victim Card, Admit Nothing
Concept: Russia frequently utilizes this tactic by portraying itself as a victim in international relations, highlighting their own struggles and grievances while minimizing or ignoring those of others ("Victimhood", "Moral Hazard").
Sample methods include: Accusing Western nations of aggression based on false narratives to create tension. (“False accusations”)
Historical Example: Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 is a potent illustration of how they weaponize victimhood for political leverage and public opinion manipulation. They utilized this tactic extensively, framing the Ukrainian revolution as primarily driven by Western aggression aimed at overthrowing pro-Russian government leaders. This narrative served to solidify pre-existing tensions between Russian and Ukrainian citizens while simultaneously portraying Russia itself as an innocent defender against external threats, solidifying their desired justification for annexation.
"Crimea may be considered a test-case for Russia in trying out this new form of warfare where hybrid, asymmetric warfare, combining an intensive information campaign, cyber warfare and the use of highly trained Special Operation Forces, play a key role."
5. Active Measures & Disinformation Warfare
Concept: Here I am referring specifically to the use of information as a weapon in warfare, often targeting enemy-held territory or infrastructure. The ultimate goal is to sow distrust, create chaos, and destabilize the targeted country's social fabric for strategic advantage ("Information Warfare", "Active Measures").
Sample methods include: As discussed and referenced throughout this thread, the use of disinformation campaigns against civilian populations to disrupt daily life is a key leg of Russian military strategy (“Cyberwarfare”, “Psychological Operations”)
Active measures, by definition, encompass a wide range of tactics used by Kremlin and other state actors to exert influence beyond direct military conflict. Understanding its complexities requires a broad perspective.
Let's examine a couple of these approaches:
a. Economic Pressure & Coercion
Russia has increasingly weaponized its economy as leverage for achieving foreign policy objectives, and uses sanctions and/or trade manipulation as leverage in its foreign relations.
This can be seen in Russia's economic strategies against Ukraine and Western nations after the invasion, including export restrictions on key commodities like grain and financial measures such as limiting SWIFT transactions and nationalizing the property of Western companies which were forced to leave Russia.
b. Hybrid Warfare
Russia has also employed 'hybrid warfare' tactics—a blend of conventional military force, cyberattacks, propaganda campaigns, and economic pressure. These strategies aim to destabilize targeted countries without triggering a full-scale war, but can have devastating consequences for the affected nations, such as:
Cyberattacks against Critical Infrastructure
The 2016 US presidential election was targeted for Russian interference through the attacks against the DNC. Similar attacks target power grids, financial institutions, and other critical infrastructure in various countries on a daily basis. What makes these sadly all-too-commonplace cyberattacks especially dangerous is they can have far reaching consequences on a country's political stability, economic well-being, or health/safety without any need for traditional, resource-intensive military deployment.
Election Interference
Russia continues to actively interfere with democratic elections by spreading disinformation campaigns, funding extremist organizations, and manipulating social media platforms to spread disinformation. Their goal is to undermine electoral processes and public trust in institutions.
We've all seen examples of election interference by this point, but one prominent incident was the Russian interference in the nation of Georgia's presidential election in 2008, which involved cyberattacks on Georgian servers and the dissemination of fabricated information through social media platforms–all designed to influence voters and potentially change elections results.
Notable Historical Examples: Cold-War
Russia's current strategies are not just isolated incidents; they echo historical tactics employed by the USSR during the Cold War.
Operation INFEKTION: This was a Soviet disinformation campaign in the 1980s that spread the false claim that HIV/AIDS was created by the United States as a biological weapon. It began with an anonymous letter published in an Indian newspaper in 1983 and was later amplified by Soviet media and friendly outlets in other countries. This campaign is well-documented and its effects lingered for years, damaging public health efforts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Denver
The Assassination of President Kennedy: After JFK's assassination in 1963, the KGB spread various conspiracy theories suggesting CIA involvement. This included forged documents and planted news stories, aiming to undermine public trust in the U.S. government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassination_conspiracy_theories#Soviet_government_conspiracy
Operation NEPTUNE: In 1964, the Czechoslovak StB (state security, working with the KGB) fabricated Nazi documents and "discovered" them in a lake. These forged documents implicated West German politicians in Nazi crimes, aiming to discredit West Germany. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Neptune_(espionage)
The Papal Plot: In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union tried to discredit Pope John Paul II by suggesting he had worked with Nazis during World War II. This included forged documents and manipulated photographs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_XII_and_Russia#Operation_Seat_12_-_KGB_disinformation_campaign_to_impugn_Pius
How Do We Know About These Incidents?
These and other Russian campaigns are well-documented, thanks to:
Defectors from Soviet intel agencies who provided insider info
Former Soviet officials who snitched after the fall of the USSR
Declassified government docs from both sides of the Iron Curtain
Academic research & journalistic investigations
It is worth noting that the full extent and impact of Soviet disinfo efforts during the Cold War is still a subject of ongoing historical research and debate.
Key Takeaways
It is important to remember these have all just been illustrative examples of a broader range of strategies, and that specific tactics employed by the Kremlin will vary depending on its political objectives.
Russia's use of disinformation warfare transcends simple propaganda; it represents the sophisticated and deeply cynical ongoing effort of a revanchist global power with the intention of eroding trust, sowing discord, and manipulating public beliefs (and therefore, actions!) for their own strategic geopolitical advantage.
Understanding these tactics & their impact on global politics can help us all better navigate this increasingly complex landscape in the continued absence of technology leaders who want the best for us, so I hope this article helped provide clarity about why things might seem so confusing right now.
