Bloodless but deadly : Information warfare in Russian military science research

This report examines the terminology of Russian information warfare from the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Eastern Ukraine until 2023. The report is based on the analysis of articles on information warfare published between 2014 and 2023 in two of the most prominent Russian journals on military science, Vestnik Akademi Voennyh Nauk and Voennaya Mysl. The terminology is categorised in the report in line with the Russian Armed Forces Dictionary into information warfare objectives, resources and means. The terminology was found to be extensive and constantly evolving, providing the Russian government with political latitude, which it has made use of, for example, in Ukraine since spring 2022. The Russian perspective on information warfare is holistic, and several terms of Anglo-Saxon origin have been adopted to refer to centuries-old Russian warfare concepts. Information warfare is seen as part of a civilisational struggle between Russia and the collective West, which varies in intensity and manifestations. Russia makes no distinction between war and peace. After the war of aggression launched by Russia in 2022, a shift to a kind of post-truth era has emerged, where facts are of secondary importance and the focus is on elements related to an individual's information processing, emotions and decision-making, which are subject to the influence of information warfare. In this phase of information warfare, it is crucial to saturate the information space with content that serves Russia's strategic objectives in the long run. As of spring 2022, the political rhetoric of the Russian regime has been integrated into research publications, reflecting a broader shift in Russian society towards totalitarianism.showless