Study on Russian Propaganda: The War on the Nets

The start of Russia’s major invasion of Ukraine was almost two years ago. Since then, the international information war has intensified. A current study sheds light on Russia’s strategies.

Russia has been active in propaganda around the world since the massive war of aggression in Ukraine. However, since February 24, 2022, it has been massively expanded and reached a new quality. This is shown by a current overview study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).

Increased use of conspiratorial tactics

One finding: Openly operating state media such as RT and Sputnik lost their importance due to EU sanctions, but continue to have great influence, particularly in Latin America as well as in the Middle East and North Africa. However, Russian propaganda in the West can rely on structures that had already formed in the years before the invasion.

They consist of people who already distrust political institutions and established media and are therefore particularly vulnerable to influence from the Kremlin. In the meantime, conspiratorial networks have been set up that spread false information, for example about alleged crimes committed by Ukrainian refugees in Germany.

Social media, fake accounts and forgeries

While social media and free access to information are largely restricted in Russia, its leadership is using these achievements in the rest of the world: real and virtual influencers, whistleblowers, activists as well as supposedly independent experts, scientists and journalists are supposed to create trust. At the same time, established media websites are being faked. There is also evidence of the use of artificial intelligence.

Another important role is played by immigrants from the former Soviet Union, especially those who are less socially and linguistically integrated. Russian state media sees them as a core target group and specific propaganda is developed for them.

Few Fear of contact with extremists of all kinds

The propagandists display astonishing political flexibility: pragmatically, they make use of fringe groups and institutions with a wide variety of ideological orientations – as long as they only support Russia’s geostrategic agenda, delegitimize existing institutions and promote uncertainty and conflict. The central topics are migration, climate change, criticism of NATO as well as gender and health policy. They also do not shy away from exploiting anti-Semitic narratives.

Such manipulations find fertile ground, particularly among representatives of conspiracy myths and opponents of Covid measures. They already trusted Russian media during the pandemic – even though they often represented opposite positions in their own country, for example on vaccinations.

Moscow continues to serve protagonists and institutions that became popular ten years ago in connection with the “Monday Vigils.” According to the authors, Russian propaganda knows how to jump on existing and developing protests in order to exploit them – even those that have a legitimate basis ARD fact finder. In particular, online tactics are used, which act like accelerant.

In this context, the study names the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance as a new and important actor: The party is stirring up fears of Germany’s economic decline and increasing migration, while it advocates against arms deliveries to Ukraine and for peace negotiations, according to the authors.

Strategy and tactics complement each other

In information warfare, Russia pursues both long-term plans and short-term tactical goals: propaganda is able to react quickly and flexibly to specific events and exploit them for its own benefit – with the intention of weakening the Western alliance and its institutions as well as a to establish Russian dominance.

According to the study, four central strategies can currently be identified:

Study speaks of a turning point

Two years after the Russian invasion, the ISD sees a turning point when it comes to Ukraine. The study’s authors fear that Russian propaganda threatens the future of a liberal order that can ensure the survival of a democratic country defending itself against an aggressive military superpower. The defense vulnerabilities require urgent attention and vigilance – especially at a time when joint action by Western governments is essential to decisively change the military balance and enable Ukraine to repel Russian forces.