Russia-Ukraine crisis: An invisible war is ongoing alongside the all-out military conflict

Amid the all-out attack on Ukraine from land, sea and air, Russia is also fighting an invisible war. This war that is not visible out in the open is the war of perception – the information warfare. Russia has launched a series of cyberattacks on Ukrainian government’s websites, banned social media platforms of the West, and is claimed to be running an underground propaganda war to build narrative around the reasons it has offered for invading the neighbouring country.

This type of warfare is known as “fourth generation warfare or hybrid warfare, which is a combination of war on ground, coupled with cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, spreading of disinformation on social media networks, mobilization of covert sabotage groups and causing disturbances of law and order,” explains Brijesh Singh, author, senior IPS officer and an expert on cybersecurity.

What is the aim of information warfare?

The objective of any establishment in waging a hybrid war is to build and spread information which confuses people and essentially helps it build parallel realities which show its actions as justified.
“All these activities are carried out in a highly coordinated fashion what an intent to create a kind of domino effect in multiple domains. Information warfare or disinformation campaigns are used to create a cacophony of narratives which totally confuses the populace in the target country,” elaborated Brijesh Singh.

“It essentially creates a multiplicity of parallel truths which drive dissensions between different groups, reduce trust between the government and the people and generally create a situation of helplessness and despair,” he added.

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Weaponization of information

Social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Telegram have been bombarded with messages, videos and photos, many of them making dodgy claims, using fake clipping or misinterpreting facts. This is done to leverage a highly polarised environment.

“To achieve this, information is weaponized by strategic leaks of damaging facts, usage of media and clips outside their context, morphing, even absolute fabrication and forgery to discredit significant institutions and individuals,” Brijesh Singh revealed.