The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analyzed the Kremlin’s information campaigns about the alleged threat to Russia’s security from Western weapons, aimed at curbing or slowing down support for Ukraine.
ISW points out that Moscow has regained the ability to conduct individual information campaigns in support of specific strategic goals and tailor these campaigns to mitigate battlefield setbacks and set the stage for future planned operations.
These Russian information campaigns have been continuous in their quest to achieve a common goal – to prevent Western support for Ukraine, regardless of the conditions on the battlefield, ISW experts say.
In their opinion, Russia forms an information space during the preparation for the offensive in order to prevent the Armed Forces of Ukraine from holding the initiative on the battlefield.
The Kremlin is also using information campaigns to deter the West from supporting Ukraine’s counter-offensive efforts, including providing long-range weapons and tanks. The Kremlin is spreading the narrative that the Armed Forces of Ukraine deliberately threaten Russia with these weapons instead of liberating their occupied territories.
The purpose of this Russian information campaign is twofold: firstly, to delay the arrival of Western tanks for a longer period in order to delay the resumption of Ukrainian counter-offensives and buy time for Russia’s own offensive operations, and secondly, to derail the development of a coherent Western approach to the full transition of Ukraine to Western weapons systems is what the West will eventually be forced to do.
All of these information campaigns will support the Kremlin’s strategic goals of dividing the West and Ukraine, curbing or delaying the provision of Western materiel, and generally undermining Western support for Ukraine and Western coalition cohesion.
Putin is working to rebuild his capacity in this area and is making limited but significant progress, especially when he manages to shape information campaigns that resonate with palpable discussions and concerns in the West, the ISW report says.
Source: Racurs
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