03.02.2023.

How does Russian propaganda work?

Propaganda is one of the most important components of the Kremlin's activities. The tools that are available to other countries are difficult for the Kremlin to apply. The characteristic that he establishes hybrid alliances and unions, international unions of students and intellectuals in most cases are reduced to factually dysfunctional organizations that should provide the appearance of an alternative to successful Euro-Atlantic models of cooperation.
 
Russia's soft power can hardly be achieved through regular means. For this reason, the application of disinformation, manipulation of facts and misinterpretation represent one of the most effective tools for shaping public opinion and spreading discontent. There are always foreign policy goals behind the mentioned activities. When the Kremlin says that it is the protector of the Serbs in the Western Balkans, it tells us that it does not want Serbia in the EU. The anti-NATO campaign on the example of Ukraine proved to be one of the steps towards the ultimate goal of preventing any Euro-Atlantic integrations, including EU membership.
 
In times of high availability of information, often mixed emotions, fueling suspicion is often more effective than false claims themselves. The very cognitive process of the target is attacked, which, after years of exposure to information pollution, loses its defensive abilities. Which consequently leads to a decrease in national resistance to crisis situations, through a loss of trust in state institutions, other states, international organizations and ethnic communities. The attack on the thought process itself is far more successful than classic propaganda, and is called indoctrination. By definition, indoctrination is an invasive process of imposing and instilling ideas and attitudes that the target would never adopt if they were not systematically subjected to this process. The target adopts attitudes drastically opposite to its basic interests and forms a belief that it would never have had if it had not been exposed to the indoctrination process. The battle over Ukraine is being fought by various means — sharp words and soft diplomacy, natural gas, weapons and intelligence services. But perhaps the most important instruments used by Moscow are the Internet, newspapers and television, including supposedly neutral journalists and experts sent around the world to propagate the Kremlin's position[1].
 
We characterize the modern Russian model of propaganda as a "flood of lies" due to two of its characteristic features: a large number of channels and messages and a shameless willingness to spread partial truths or open fiction. [New] Russian propaganda amuses, confuses and captivates the audience[2]. The technique is simplicity and is reflected through rapid continuous repetition and addition of statements and content that are not burdened with consistency.
 
Distinctive characteristics of the modern model of Russian propaganda[3]:
 
1. Large volume and multiple information channels (Youtube, social networks, opinion makers, official statements)
 
2. Fast, continuous and repetitive
 
3. There is a lack of commitment to objective reality
 
4. Lack of commitment to consistency
 
The credibility of Russian propaganda stems from the manipulation of true statements in a manipulative context. Russian and pro-Russian opinion makers abundantly use the method of quoting Western officials, media, reports of international organizations as a form of support for their claims. Citation is an efficient confirmation mechanism, but in this case it is inappropriate quoting out of context. The technique is as follows, a part of the statement of a certain official, the name of the media and the date of publication are given, and everything that follows after that is an incorrect conclusion enriched with its own value judgments and non-existent facts. A very effective technique that should create the belief in the audience that what the creator of the opinion expresses is reliable and true.
 
Examples[4] of Russian disinformation 1 :
 
- The US is prolonging the war in Ukraine in order to benefit from arms sales. In an attempt to undermine Western support for Ukraine and portray the support as based solely on economic interests, this piece of pro-Kremlin disinformation attempts to portray US support for Ukraine as beneficial to its industries. Such messages also try to divide Western countries.
 
- EU countries are trying to take control over some Ukrainian territories. Unlike Russia, EU countries do not have unsatisfied imperial ambitions. EU countries support the independence and full territorial integrity of Ukraine. This piece of Russian propaganda is trying to separate Ukraine from its European supporters.
 
- The USA wants to disintegrate the EU through the war in Ukraine. No, it's not like that. This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that tries to drive a wedge between the transatlantic partners by insinuating that the US would somehow benefit from the war in Ukraine.
 
Examples of Russian disinformation[5] 2 :
 
Fiction: The Russian economy is strong enough that international sanctions cannot significantly affect it. International sanctions actually hurt the West more than Russia.
 
Fact: International sanctions strongly affect the Russian economy. Disinformation purveyors from the Kremlin push the narrative that international sanctions have no significant effect on the Russian economy despite the fact that even the head of Russia's central bank, Elvira Nabiulina, has admitted that "economic activity is declining... the severance of long-term economic relations will have a negative impact." Russia has no capacity to produces domestic versions of products it used to buy abroad. To try to bridge this gap, President Putin has even tried to legalize the theft of intellectual property from “enemy countries.” Many of Russia's most talented citizens have left the country in search of a better life.
 
Fiction: International sanctions are not effective because Russia can turn to trade with countries that have not yet sanctioned it.
 
Fact: Russia is struggling to find new suppliers and buyers for the goods it once bought and sold around the world. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian imports have dropped by 50 percent. The Kremlin is struggling to find new sources for important products it is unable to produce. This is noticeable on the battlefield where Russia uses microchips taken from refrigerators and dishwashers in its military equipment.