Report: Anatomy of Russian Information Warfare

I thought it necessary to share this serious academic analysis on the background and application of information warfare tactics by Putin's government during the Crimean crisis.

The paper is by Jolanta Darczewska of the Center for Eastern Studies (OSW), a prominent Polish think tank. Among its most interesting insights are (1) the differences between contemporary western and Russian propaganda methods; (2) these culture's respective susceptibilities to media indoctrination; and (3) the most prominent theories in Russia today surrounding information warfare.

www.osw.waw.pl...

MAIN POINTS

• Russia’s information warfare theory has been developed in
opposition to the new generation Western warfare concepts.
This method of warfare is also used as an argument for the
need to “respond with war to the information war waged
against Russia.” In practice, information battles clearly draw
upon the psychological warfare conducted in Soviet times and
the techniques for influencing and leading the public tested at
those times.

• The geopolitical doctrine treats information as a dangerous
weapon: it is cheap, it is a universal weapon, it has unlimited
range, it is easily accessible and permeates all state borders
without restrictions. The information and network struggle, as
well as its extreme forms, such as information-psychological
warfare and netwars, are means the state uses to achieve its
goals in international, regional and domestic politics and also
to gain a geopolitical advantage. Representatives of geopolitical
thought have to be given credit on the one hand for popularising
this topic, and on the other for their personal participation in
information warfare as opinion leaders. This in particular concerns
the key representatives of the two Russian geopolitical
schools: Igor Panarin and Aleksandr Dugin, academic teachers
and mentors of the young generations of geopoliticians.

• Furthermore, geopolitics offers ideological grounds for information
battles. In opposition to the ideology of liberalism, it
promotes “a neo-conservative post-liberal power (…) struggling
for a just multi-polar world, which defends tradition,
conservative values and true liberty.” The “Russian Eurasian
civilisation” is set at contrast to the “Atlantic civilisation led by
the USA” which allegedly intends to disassemble Russian statehood
and gain global hegemony. The internal crisis in Ukraine
followed by the need to annex Crimea have been presented in
the context of the rivalry between these two civilisations.

• The information strategy of the rivalry between Russia and
the West is a product of both information geopolitics, which
has been developed since the late 1990s, and the consistently
pursued policy for strengthening the state and building its
research and scientific, organisational, media, diplomatic,
and social bases, et cetera. It is already used for both internal
(mobilisation of society) and external purposes (reconstructing
Russia’s spheres of influence in the post-Soviet area and
Russia’s dominance in Eurasia). The information space where
the Russian language is used and the existence of the Russian
diaspora (who are receptive to the Kremlin’s propaganda) are
the key factors which make successful action possible.

• Western public opinion is more resistant to Russian propaganda,
although it has resonated with some people here as well.
Moscow’s informational aggression is set to intensify: Russia
has a sense of impunity on information battlefields. Furthermore,
it is constantly modifying and perfecting its propaganda
techniques, taking into account new media tools and
introducing innovations, such as activity in social networking
services, etc.

Let's be honest...

Russia does it BADLY

The Western allies have never really had to turn on the propaganda in Ukraine it's of more use when you're in the wrong or losing/desperate... Hence it's been all Russia regarding Ukraine, I think anybody who knows a thing or two about Ukraine history with Russia and the past 20yr struggle to break away from there previous masters under the Russian empire and more recently the Soviet Union can see there really was no need to spread propaganda in Ukraine the people had more that had enough of Russia themselves... All the west had to do was expose Russia's lies to the world and assist Ukraine with The clearance of Russian protest tourists, agents and Troops fighting in Ukrainian with a handful of Russian sympathisers and Russians holding a Ukrainian passport and residency

It was a messy divorce that's for sure, and I don't really blame Russia for playing dirty it must have hurt losing Ukraine after Syria

Polish sources?

The same kinds of interests are appearing in those who serve the interests of Americans in Eastern Europe, as well. For example, Ukraine’s ex-Minister of Ecology Mykola Zlochevsky and former president of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski are on the Board of Directors of Burisma Holdings.

Polish Death Squads Fighting in Ukraine. CIA Covert Operation?

The coin always has two sides:

The Poles have been participating actively in the formation of death squads in Ukraine since September 2013, when Foreign Minister R. Sikorski invited 86 members of the Right Sector to train at the police training center in Legionowo, 23 km from Warsaw. The fighters, who came on the pretext of a university exchange program, were mostly men of around 40; they received a month-long training course in organizing mass protests, erecting barricades, seizing government buildings, street fighting tactics, shooting techniques, including from sniper rifles, etc. The Polish weekly Nie published a photo from Legionowo showing Ukrainian fascists dressed in Nazi uniforms alongside their Polish instructors in civilian clothing.

But never mind, Russia is responsible for everything...

a reply to: TritonTaranis

The Western allies have never really had to turn on the propaganda in Ukraine it's of more use when you're in the wrong or losing/desperate

You'd have more credibility if you just admitted that both sides were involved in this crisis. Your "it's all Russia's fault" stance on this this makes you look either uninformed/ignorant of the facts or extremely biased. Either way your comments come across as basically propaganda with no factual value at all.

originally posted by: maghun
Polish sources?

The same kinds of interests are appearing in those who serve the interests of Americans in Eastern Europe, as well. For example, Ukraine’s ex-Minister of Ecology Mykola Zlochevsky and former president of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski are on the Board of Directors of Burisma Holdings.

Polish Death Squads Fighting in Ukraine. CIA Covert Operation?

The coin always has two sides:

The Poles have been participating actively in the formation of death squads in Ukraine since September 2013, when Foreign Minister R. Sikorski invited 86 members of the Right Sector to train at the police training center in Legionowo, 23 km from Warsaw. The fighters, who came on the pretext of a university exchange program, were mostly men of around 40; they received a month-long training course in organizing mass protests, erecting barricades, seizing government buildings, street fighting tactics, shooting techniques, including from sniper rifles, etc. The Polish weekly Nie published a photo from Legionowo showing Ukrainian fascists dressed in Nazi uniforms alongside their Polish instructors in civilian clothing.

But never mind, Russia is responsible for everything...

I am not sure what your information on the supposed clandestine activities of the Polish have to do with this report.

This paper contains an assessment of evolving Russian attitudes and theories on information warfare. All countries practice it in some fashion and this just is a report on Russia's methods in the context of Crimea.

Does everything have to be some polemic with you people?

a reply to: ALoveSupreme

I only wanted to highlight that this is not an independent report or analysis.

originally posted by: maghun
a reply to: ALoveSupreme

I only wanted to highlight that this is not an independent report or analysis.

Because it comes from a particular country???

Insanity.

I guess only Magyars must come from a blessed land of objectivity?

This is just like last time when I posted the documentary about Tahir Square as a possible analog for Maidan and everybody started going on diatribes about their anti-EU views without watching it. They totally missed the point being made which was that multiple sides are involved in the corruption of a movement.

This report is not saying 'blame Russia'.

It will be in apricot season before some people here are capable of looking at things in an analytical way.

a reply to: ALoveSupreme

Learn about polish people: they hate germans, but they hate russians much more, and they think Ukraine is their own territory as it was earlier.

originally posted by: maghun
a reply to: ALoveSupreme

Learn about polish people: they hate germans, but they hate russians much more, and they think Ukraine is their own territory as it was earlier.

Yes and all Hungarians hate Russians, oh an Romanians too.

Nonsense.

I guess Magyars must come from a blessed land of objectivity?

From the middle of Europe, and a little closer to Ukraine, and polish people is our very old and good friends, and we had problems with USSR too. But now they decided to choose a side.

From the link I provided, but maybe you missed it:

In mid-May Tusk demanded that Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, who considers fascist Ukraine a «challenge to the European Union» refrain from making such statements so as not to divert attention from the fight against the main adversary – Russia. But several weeks earlier (04-24-2014), the Polish prime minister stated that Europe must prepare for the disintegration of Ukraine.

I think the real problem with many people on here -- why they are incapable of any subtle perception or understanding ambiguity -- is their gender.

I deal with men's desires all the time, placating their petty whims. And you know, really it is this infantile focus to which so many aspire. Man-boys always speaking so assuredly, making bold moves, a self-satisfied life while wearing blinders.

This is just like last time when I posted the documentary about Tahir Square as a possible analog for Maidan and everybody started going on diatribes about their anti-EU views without watching it. They totally missed the point being made which was that multiple sides are involved.

This report is not saying 'blame Russia'.

It will be in apricot season before some people here are capable of looking at things in an analytical way.

I watched that as I promised but it was a typical choreographed film in the same style as was the "We are all ukrainians" campaign about Euromaidan.

...and always naive people are the victims...

originally posted by: maghun

I guess Magyars must come from a blessed land of objectivity?

From the middle of Europe, and a little closer to Ukraine, and polish people is our very old and good friends, and we had problems with USSR too. But now they decided to choose a side.

From the link I provided, but maybe you missed it:

In mid-May Tusk demanded that Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, who considers fascist Ukraine a «challenge to the European Union» refrain from making such statements so as not to divert attention from the fight against the main adversary – Russia. But several weeks earlier (04-24-2014), the Polish prime minister stated that Europe must prepare for the disintegration of Ukraine.

The streets of Budapest are still covered everywhere with your most Anti-Russian symbol -- the 1956 uprising flag with its hammer and sickle cut out.

So, Tusk takes a more anti-Putin stance than Orban.

Hardly a reason to discount the report of a Polish academic before actually reading it.

originally posted by: maghun

This is just like last time when I posted the documentary about Tahir Square as a possible analog for Maidan and everybody started going on diatribes about their anti-EU views without watching it. They totally missed the point being made which was that multiple sides are involved.

This report is not saying 'blame Russia'.

It will be in apricot season before some people here are capable of looking at things in an analytical way.

I watched that as I promised but it was a typical choreographed film in the same style as was the "We are all ukrainians" campaign about Euromaidan.

...and always naive people are the victims...

Yes, amazing how the filmmakers choreographed thousands of Egyptian army to come in and start shooting people.

You are an imbecile.

There, civility has left me. I cannot deal with you chauvinistic dolts anymore.

a reply to: ALoveSupreme

Congratulations! You are getting the point now: the same "masters" "making" happenings in Egypt, Syria, Ukraine, and murdering innocent opponents with military. And they ordered this report about the situation...

originally posted by: ALoveSupreme
[

The streets of Budapest are still covered everywhere with your most Anti-Russian symbol -- the 1956 uprising flag with its hammer and sickle cut out.

So, Tusk takes a more anti-Putin stance than Orban.

Hardly a reason to discount the report of a Polish academic before actually reading it.

The first page picture tells everything about the study...

...and why you forget the little coincidence in 1956, the Suez Crisis, maybe the same puppet-masters ignited the Hungarian Revolution, who wanted to retake the Suez Canal?

...and always naive people are the victims...

originally posted by: Flatcoat
a reply to: TritonTaranis

The Western allies have never really had to turn on the propaganda in Ukraine it's of more use when you're in the wrong or losing/desperate

You'd have more credibility if you just admitted that both sides were involved in this crisis. Your "it's all Russia's fault" stance on this this makes you look either uninformed/ignorant of the facts or extremely biased. Either way your comments come across as basically propaganda with no factual value at all.

As I said do the research... There really was no need considering the history, just disproving Russia's lies was enough to resolve this situation and exposing Russia's ventures in the East of the country

Perhaps you could point out some anti Russian propaganda emanating from the west ?

It's amazing how few people understand history. At all. Or read it. That's the problem with google people think they are experts.

Polish people hate Russians. I am married to a polish woman. She lived through years of Russia turning off her water for weeks at a time. The Germans were scientifically awful. The Russians were barbarians. Sometimes they would kill every other person in a line.

I have studied Russian history for 20 years and these articles and postings full of prowess propaganda are idiotic. There is a huge movement in the media to discredit and make Russia look weak.
The opposite is true. They are getting much stronger hence the need of all the fake propaganda and statistics taken out of context.

Yes Russia uses propaganda media. Who doesn't?
What country doesn't use the media to manipulate public opinion?

Ukraine was and is in a crisis because of mismanagement by both pro and ant Russians.

The oligarch that was just elected is just as bad as yanokovich.

I don't have to google that either I knew of him before the election.

All the ethnocentrists need to stop you look stupid. The people on this site are smarter than this crap.

It's time to stop us against them. We need to get NATO out, let ukraine handle it themselves.
Having the NATO bullies behind them so they can get their IMF loans is hurting the country and will destabilize it further.

The IMF is just as bad as Russia's influence. Worse. Most of the NATO officers have no cultural ties at all to ukraine.

Russia and China are joining forces in space tech, solid boosters for rockets (which all come from Russia), satellites, military equipment, joint exercises, etc. our only hope is to stop this madness and trade. Keep trading and breaking down barriers. If we build them up and perpetuate these nationalistic ethnocentric views we just perpetuate the violence.

It's time to understand we have a global economy. Russia is important normalize trade or pay the price. We can't afford to goth rough a trade war with china. We are far more reliant on china then they us. We can stop buying their goods but we can't make them ourselves. They can stop selling to us but they have other markets and they don't need the peoples comfort for the government to stay powerful. The west does.

To put it plainly we all need to get along and trade and break down old stereotypes.

a reply to: ALoveSupreme

I think the problem is your sexist egotistical ranting in which you are always so much smarter than the people here who are incapable of thinking on your level.

You seem to think all this happens in a vacuum where you post something with very little description or analyzation of your own. Unless it's a ground breaking expose perhaps you should try using your own ideas to describe the article. It's a thread not open heart surgery nobody needs to take you seriously and it's nothing but ego that makes you think they should.

Most of the threads I read of yours are long articles with very few of your own words. Like hey I just found this but I don't understand the big picture enough to know how it fits into the current running dialogue on the issue. How does this fit into the discussions being made about this topic. It's not a vacuum people have opinions about it and your topic headlines do not have a neutral tone. How many articles do have on western propaganda?

originally posted by: Luthierbrown
a reply to: ALoveSupreme

I think the problem is your sexist egotistical ranting in which you are always so much smarter than the people here who are incapable of thinking on your level.

You seem to think all this happens in a vacuum where you post something with very little description or analyzation of your own. Unless it's a ground breaking expose perhaps you should try using your own ideas to describe the article. It's a thread not open heart surgery nobody needs to take you seriously and it's nothing but ego that makes you think they should.

Most of the threads I read of yours are long articles with very few of your own words. Like hey I just found this but I don't understand the big picture enough to know how it fits into the current running dialogue on the issue. How does this fit into the discussions being made about this topic. It's not a vacuum people have opinions about it and your topic headlines do not have a neutral tone. How many articles do have on western propaganda?

I posted this report because it is one of the first in depth recent analyses I have seen on the subject.

I do not need to add my own polemic at the start. That is a job for people like you.

I have definitely laid out very fair and balanced frame works for discussion here -- but the same 'ethnocentrists' (as you use the term) arrive with their tinfoil hats already fully covering their eyes. They talk about 'petrodollars' and 'NWO' and all the other nonsensical, anti-intellectual rubbish -- talking points they've gleamed from late night talk radio and conspiracy sites. I cannot help it if they are laypersons and have no real world experience or education.

If you want to talk about a real lack of intelligence, let us talk of the people here who inevitably latch onto (in the most absolutist way), elaborate coverups or conspiracies wherever there are more rational and dialectical political factors at play.

If you want to talk bias, look at yourself.

I just posted an article about the theoretical underpinnings of Russian propaganda today. If you want to talk about something else, go start your own thread. Do not be so obtuse!