When Russia Wages War in the Cognitive Domain

Government authorities around the world are still more focused on Russian information operations. While some are looking to protect themselves from Russian attempts to influence members of their public, others are looking to learn from and to copy the Russian approach.

All are seeking a better understanding of all the Hows – the most central of which is “How to influence others to make them act as you want them to act?”.

Drawing on a large body of Russian-language studies, this article offers a comprehensive insight into current Russian thinking on information operations: Their place in political and military thinking, their mechanics, and their effect.

Regarding this latter point, a minority group within Russian academia insists that the Russian operations do not deliver the desired effect and that better funded, more coordinated and more offensive operations are needed in the future.