Countering Russian Propaganda During the War

Abstract

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for a substantial period of history, but over the past decade, the confrontation between the two countries has taken on a major scale. At first, Russia resorted to conducting a hybrid war, and from February 24, 2022, it began a full-scale war. In the course of this, the enemy uses information influence as one of the types of weapons, so today the ability to fight back is very important. The purpose of the study will be to consider and find ways to counter Russian propaganda. In the course of writing the study, the following research methods are used: information analysis, synthesis, specification, and generalisation. As a result of the study, a large amount of information of various types is considered, in particular, studies, books of popular science genre, legislative acts, statements and appeals of high-ranking officials, and, most importantly, publications in the media. In the course of analysing this information, it is determined which aspects of life are affected by Russian propaganda, those include: worldview, history, and information on the conduct of military operations. In addition, the methods Russians use to spread propaganda are considered, in particular, television and social networks. Thus, it is concluded that countering Russian propaganda should take place in the field of education, in particular, the introduction of media literacy courses, the development of the historical industry, statements by Ukrainian state institutions, and cybersecurity. The study creates a new perspective and ground for further investigation by sociologists who study the phenomenon of Russian propaganda in detail, teachers working to develop new teaching methods, and specialists in the field of cybersecurity