Introduction: In recent years, the Russian government has been using disinformation campaigns to manipulate public opinion and maintain control. These campaigns have primarily targeted other countries, but recently, they have also been directed at Russian citizens. In this case study, we will examine the tactics used by the Russian government and the role of media in these campaigns.

Background: Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been in power for over two decades, and in that time, he has worked to recreate the Soviet Union. To achieve this goal, he has taken control of the mass media and nearly all independent media in Russia. Putin has also revived a number of Soviet-era institutions, including a modern disinformation organization known as dezinformatsiya. This organization has been effective in using the internet to spread false information and manipulate public opinion.

In 2022, Putin’s political fortunes took a turn for the worse when his invasion of Ukraine failed, resulting in significant losses of armored vehicles and troops. This led to a shift in public opinion against Putin, which could potentially threaten his ability to rule Russia. In response, Putin ordered the dezinformatsiya operation to work with the VGTRK (All-Russia State Television and Radio Company) to convince Russians that the Ukraine operation was a success and that NATO was secretly trying to weaken Russia. The VGTRK, which is full of Putin loyalists, has been instrumental in spreading this false information to the Russian public.

Findings: News Monitors has gathered data on the tactics used by the Russian government to control public opinion through disinformation campaigns. These tactics include:

• Bribing foreign journalists to publish articles supporting Russian goals without being traceable back to Russia.
• Using the internet to spread false information and manipulate public opinion.
• Working with the VGTRK to present a distorted version of events to the Russian public.

In addition to these tactics, it is important to consider the role of media in these campaigns. The VGTRK, which is the main source of news for many Russians, has been instrumental in spreading disinformation on behalf of the government. Western media outlets have also been accused of using disinformation for economic or political gain.

• Russian Information War operations were aimed at other countries until early 2022
• Putin successfully turned Russia into something resembling the Soviet Union and controlled the mass media and independent media
• Putin revived a large, modern dezinformatsiya (disinformation) organization that took advantage of the Internet to become more effective than its Cold War version
• Putin’s invasion of Ukraine failed, causing a shift in public opinion that could prove fatal for his continued rule
• Putin ordered the dezinformatsiya operation to cooperate with the VGTRK to convince Russians that the Ukraine operation was not a failure but had succeeded in stalling and exposing a secret NATO plan
• Most of what is known about Russian Cold War disinformation methods and their success was documented after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991
• The Soviets were very successful in weakening Western efforts to thwart their schemes
• Putin’s updated dezinformatsiya campaign has contained, but not eliminated, growing popular opposition inside Russia
• The VGTRK has access to a large quantity of information broadcast by Western media and can present it in a way that supports Putin’s interpretation
• Nearly 8 million Russians who know what Western media publish have left the country since Putin took power in 1999, with about a million leaving in the last year
• Western Internet media, including Facebook, have been accused and exposed for using disinformation for economic or political goals
• Facebook has announced the discovery and banishment of hundreds of accounts owned and operated by Russian firms that specialize in disinformation
• The largest Russian disinformation operation is the IRA, which uses social media to spread pro-Russian propaganda
• The VGTRK’s dezinformatsiya operation has been successful in convincing many Russians that the Ukraine operation was not a failure
• The VGTRK has been successful in convincing many Russians that the West is a threat to Russia
• The VGTRK’s dezinformatsiya operation has been successful in convincing many Russians that the West is a threat to Russia
• The VGTRK’s dezinformatsiya operation has been successful in convincing many Russians that the West is a threat to Russia

Conclusion: The Russian government has been using disinformation campaigns as a means of manipulating public opinion and maintaining control. These campaigns have been effective in large part due to the role of media in spreading false information. It is crucial for the public to be aware of these tactics and to seek out accurate and reliable sources of information. News Monitors is committed to monitoring and exposing disinformation campaigns in Russia and around the world.

News Monitors