Laas Leivat
The manipulation of information in order to distort the legitimacy and the political decision-making of the target society is known as information warfare. Some scholars see the West as losing this war due to its passivity and reluctance to take a bold initiative in the battle.
European decision-makers have positioned themselves, most unintentionally, as victims of the info-war standoff. Observers see this stance as unauthentic. Europe has a legitimate reason to support democratization and civil society abroad. Russia has a need to spread disinformation and propaganda. Just consider the Kremlin’s enormous human and financial resources expended on this. It’s said that the Kremlin spends more money on propaganda than support for the unemployed.
European passivity leaves unused a crucial strategic advantage that Europe might have if it adopts a pro-active position. In terms of ‘soft power’ (the use of culture and other non-confrontational, non-intimidating outreach means of diplomacy) there is no comparison between the Russian and Western models. If ‘soft power’ is the ability to attract countries into one’s sphere of influence, then the attractiveness of the Western approach far exceeds Russia’s pulling power.
The Prague Security Institute has recently released a study entitled ‘The pro-Russian Disinformation Campaign in the Czech Republic and Slovakia’ which states bluntly that a number of media outlets in that part of Europe are disseminating pro-Kremlin propaganda intended to undermine the credibility of Western institutions. Use of websites, the social media’s informal communities, NGOs are some of the vehicles used for the pro-Russian disinformation campaign. (Pikemalt Eesti Elu 14. augusti paberlehes)
