Photo: Supplied
Russia’s state regulator Roskomnadzor says it has decided to block access to Facebook in Russia. Meanwhile the Russian parliament has passed legislation imposing a jail term of up to 15 years for spreading intentionally "fake" news about the military. The BBC have suspended their journalists and support staff in Russia in response.
Russian leaders have practiced "dezinformatsiya" for decades and this latest invasion of Ukraine is no exception. Putin’s hybrid warfare strategy has been designed to muddy the waters with disinformation and propaganda, using the reach of Russian-backed broadcasters such as RT and Sputnik alongside global social media channels.
Emerson T. Brooking is a resident senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council and coauthor of LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media. He is an expert in the fields of disinformation, terrorist communication, and internet policy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation at the Kremlin in Moscow, announcing the military operation against Ukraine. Photo: AFP
