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5. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I: ONLINE NEWS

AND SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS

5.1. Russia’s Information Warfare Against Ukraine

Vladimir Sazonov, Kristiina Müür

Introduction

the regular military force is used mainly as a deterrent and not as a tool of open aggression

highly effective, in many cases almost real-time coordination of the various means employed, including political, mili-tary, special operations and information measures

Ibid.

70 VLADIMIR SAZONOV, KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Information warfare opens wide asymmetric possibilities for decreasing the fighting potential of enemy’. strategic information warfare

For the Kremlin, propaganda has become an integral part of information warfare. Throughout the past decade the Russian propaganda machine has been structured and effectively implemented, reaching a climax during the occupation of Crimea and the subsequent devastating war in Eastern Ukraine. It started in 2005 with the creation of Russia Today (subsequently RT) and every year more ‘media’ outlets are added to this global network. Almost every week another propaganda outlet, Sputnik International, opens a new bureau somewhere in the world, hiring qualified local journalists and producing radio and multimedia content in almost 30 languages. According to their website, ‘Sputnik points the way to a multipolar world that respects every country’s national interests, culture, history and traditions. This is just one of the many examples of media outlet double-speak. In reality, their aim is to influence global public opinion, distort reality and act as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin.

715. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

NTV

Ibid.

72 VLADIMIR SAZONOV, KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Einsatztruppen

735. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

5.2. A Comparative Overview of Online News

Kristiina Müür

Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP), Regnum, and TV Zvezda –

KPTV Zvezda

TV Zvezda KP

Regnum

74 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

13 KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA

30

15

16

53

opinionpiece

statement

interview

reportage

news

11

70

43

60

opinionpiece

statement

interview

reportage

news

0

2

0

0

140

opinionpiece

statement

interview

reportage

news

REGNUM

TV ZVEZDA

number of articles

Figure 2. Genres of the articles analysed

KP TV Zvezda,

Regnum,

Regnum

TV Zvezda,KP

755. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

49 KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA

38

14

6

5

combat activities

terrorism, violence

Ukrainian armed forces

MH 17

Ukrainian government

5humanitarian convoys

29

18

20

16

21

combat activities

terrorism, violence

West’s interference

Russia

Ukrainian government

7Minsk peace talks

33

20

19

12

11

combat activities

terrorism, violence

Ukrainian armed forces

West’s interference

Russia

8humanitarian convoys

number of articles

REGNUM

TV ZVEZDA

Figure 3. Main topics of the articles in KP, Regnum, TV Zvezda

KP

Regnum TV Zvezda

KP

76 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

KP

KP

KP KP

Regnum TV ZvezdaRegnum TV Zvezda

TV Zvezda Regnum KP

REGNUMDNR

RUSSIA

EASTERN UKRAINE

CRIMEA

NOVOROSSIYAOTHER

EURASIA/FORMER USSR

MOSCOW

OSC

E

USA

/NAT

O

EURO

PE /E

U

LNR

KYIV

81

34

47

11

21

19

25

20 16 6

10

11

7

1

4

14

14

4

345

UKRAINE

WESTERN UKRAINE

WEST

BALTIC STATES

DON

BASS

775. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

TV ZVEZDA

479

0CRIMEA

NOVOROSSIYAOTHER

OSC

E

USA

/NAT

O

EURO

PE /E

U

LNR

97

74

45

44

4336

30

29 27 16

10

9

5

4

4

3

3

UKRAINE

DNR

RUSSIA

EASTERN UKRAINE

KYIV

MOSCOW

EURASIA/FORMER USSR

WESTERN UKRAINE

WEST

BALTIC STATES

DON

BASS

KOMSOMOLSK AYA PRAVDA

CRIMEA

OTHER

OSC

E

USA

/NAT

O

EURO

PE /E

ULNR

17

24

4

0

24

0

30 4

0 3

0

0

1

3

0

0

18454

18

1

1

UKRAINE

DNR

RUSSIA

EASTERN UKRAINE

KYIV

DON

BASS

MOSCOW

EURASIA/FORMER USSR

NOVOROSSIYA

WESTERN UKRAINE

WEST

BALTIC STATES

Figures 4–6. Geographic contextualisation of the Ukraine crisis in the art icles

78 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

KP

TV Zvezda

Regnum

KP

49141

4

1

1

126

4

3

2

128

0

Present time

Present time

Present time

Recent past

WWII

1945–1991

1991–2003

Recent past

Annexation ofCrimea

WW II

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA

REGNUM

TV ZVEZDA

number of articles

2Recent past

2Soviet Ukraine1922–1939

Figure 7. Temporal contextualisation of the Ukraine crisis in the articles

795. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

0 30 60 90 120

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Regnum

TV Zvezda

Russian analyst/expert

Other Ukrainian politician/institution

Separatist politician/institution

Other Russian politician/institution

Participant in events – separatist

Russian media

58

19

27

number of articles

Figure 8. Most popular sources referred to in the articles

Regnum

TV Zvezda

TV Zvezda

TV Zvezda KP Regnum

80 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Western politician/institution

Separatist politician/institution

Other Russian politician/institution

Other Ukrainian politician/institution

Putin

Lavrov

PoroshenkoK omsomolskaya Pra vda

Regnum

TV Zvezda

number of articles

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Figure 9. Politicians and official institutions referred to the most in the art icles

KPTV Zvezda Regnum

KP KP

0

50

100

150

200

250

no judgement

russophobia

violence

Kyiv junta

execution squads

fascists

belittling

positive

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Regnum TV Zvezda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

not mentioned

other negative

Figure 10. Attitude of the articles towards the Ukrainian armed forces166

815. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

0

50

100

150

200

no judgement

against Russia

interference in Ukraine

TV ZvezdaRegnumKomsomolskaya Pravda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

not mentioned

fascists

other negative

Figure 11. Attitude of the articles towards the command authorities of the Ukrainian armed forces – most mentioned

0

30

60

90

120

150

no judgement

fascists

against Russia

TV ZvezdaRegnumKomsomolskaya Pravda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

not mentioned

other negative

interference in Ukraine

Figure 12. Attitude of the articles towards the Ukrainian government – most mentioned

82 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Regnum TV Zvezda

TV Zvezda

KP, RegnumTV Zvezda

TV Zvezda

TV ZvezdaTV Zvezda

KPKP Regnum TV Zvezda

Regnum,

TV Zvezda Regnum KP

835. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

0

30

60

90

120

150

West’s puppets

russophobia

violence

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Regnum TV Zvezda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

no judgement

not mentioned

other negative

Figure 13. Attitude of the articles towards USA/NATO – most mentioned

0

50

100

150

200

fascists

against Russia

interference in Ukraine

positive

TV ZvezdaRegnumKomsomolskaya Pravda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

no judgement

not mentioned

other negative

Figure 14. Attitude of the articles towards Europe/EU – most mentioned

84 VLADIMIR SAZONOV

0

50

100

150

200

fascists

against Russia

interference in Ukraine

TV ZvezdaRegnumKomsomolskaya Pravda

num

ber o

f art

icle

s

no judgement

not mentioned

other negative

Figure 15. Attitude of the articles towards the West as a whole –most mentioned

5.3. Komsomolskaya Pravda

Vladimir Sazonov

Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP)Komsomolskaya Pravda

KP

Komsomolskaya Pravda

855. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

KP KP

KP

KP

KP, Regnum,

KP

KP

the Ukrainian TV channel Hromadske TV announces the planned killing of at least 1.5 million Novorossiyans

KP

86 VLADIMIR SAZONOV

KP

KP

KP

Komsomolskaya Pravda

875. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

karateli’

KP

The moral conditions of the Ukrainian army make us more and more concerned. But the moral condition of army authorities is laughter through tears KP

Komsomolskaya Pravda

en masseKP

KP

Ibid.

88 VLADIMIR SAZONOV

Picture 3. ‘Nazis-perverts of the Ukrainian subunit Tornado established a 360 degree defence’ (Source: Komsomolskaya Pr avda)

KP

895. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

KP

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Komsomolskaya Pravda

5.4. I.A. Regnum

Holger Mölder

Regnum News Agency

LiveInternet.ru

Regnum,

90 HOLGER MÖLDER

Regnum Regnum

– silovikiRegnum

Regnum

Regnum

Regnum

Regnum

915. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

Regnum

5.5. TV Zvezda

Kristiina Müür

TV Zvezda

TV ZvezdaRegnum, TV Zvezda

KP

TV Zvezda

karateli

siloviki.TV Zvezda

KP TV Zvezda Regnum

TV Zvezda

92 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

TV Zvezda

TV ZvezdaTV Zvezda

TV Zvezda

935. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

Picture 4. Poroshenko checking the military preparedness of troops in the special opera-tions zone (Source: TV Zvezda)

German troops preparing to be deployed to Ukraine

94 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Picture 5. ‘German troops preparing to be deployed to Ukraine’ (Source: TV Zvezda)

955. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

Picture 6. Bodies of 286 women found near Krasnoarmeysk (Source: TV Zvezda)

96 VALERIA JAKOBSON

TV Zvezda

Regnum KP TVZvezda

5.6. RIA Novosti

Valeria Jakobson

Ria NovostiSovinfrmbyro APN Agentstvo Pechati Novosti

.Russia Today

Ria Novosti Regnum TV Zvezda Komsomolskaya Pravda

Kiev power aggression against the population of Donbass, who are not satisfied with the February putsch

975. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

,

. , 27 2,5

, 6 .

fascists karateli

siloviki.

98 VALERIA JAKOBSON

- “ ”,

./.../ , ,

, .

995. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

, .

Humanitarian convoys

’ , . /.../ , , .

, , , , ,

’, –

- . , ,

100 VALERIA JAKOBSON

- ./.../

.

TV Zvezda

You are abandoned by your cowardly and thieving bosses and suffer deprivation and risk your life for NATO/USA interests

Ria Novosti TV Zvezda

1015. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

102 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

5.7. Social Media

Kristiina Müür

-

Level of public engagement in debates

The content of the information activities

1035. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

Vkontakte

104 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Picture 7. Referendum in the East. Ukrainian media. Reality.

(Source: <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1401189390165493&set=gm.309015822589221&type=1>)

Picture 8. Road to Donbass. Road from Donbass.

(Source: <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1410177119266720&set=gm.314165772074226&type=1>)

1055. RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST UKRAINE I

Picture 9. Obama vs. Put in, ‘freedom’ vs. ‘occupation’

(Source: <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=747957925286365&set=gm.392088527615283&type=1>)

Picture 10. Refere ndum for detaching the US from planet Earth. Repost if you agree.

(Source: <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1489749131309518&set=gm.401719373318865&type= 1>)

106 KRISTIINA MÜÜR

Picture 11. The USA did not leave the British Empire entirely legally.

(Source: <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1414239628860469&set=gm.318447504979386&type=1>)