Combating Russian information aggression in Ukraine: legal dimension
Authors:   Mariupol State University, Тrofymenko Anastasia 
Published: October 2021

Information and propaganda influence is one of the key components of the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation in the South-East of Ukraine. RF effectively uses propaganda "messages" designed to take into account the stereotypes of the mass consciousness of certain target audiences, and the Russian media successfully work with the international audience, which discredits Ukraine's image in their eyes. Ukraine was unprepared for the information war unleashed by the aggressor, the development of the propaganda sphere of which significantly prevails, the Ukrainian legal framework for information security and information warfare was extremely insufficient. Information operations and propaganda campaigns by the aggressor state, which are unfolding at the global, regional and local levels, have necessitated the rapid development of effective mechanisms to counter information aggression. The purpose of this article is to establish the legal basis for information security of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, to identify key legal mechanisms in this area. The study was conducted on the basis of an analysis of a wide range of sources, which are represented by laws and regulations of Ukraine. This allowed the author to present an analysis of the basic legal framework for information security and counteraction to information aggression by the Russian Federation in Ukrainian legislation. The article defines the content of Russian information aggression, highlights the place of the information component in the process of ensuring the national security of Ukraine at the present stage. The main provisions of the basic regulations of Ukraine on the protection of information sovereignty (National Security Strategy of Ukraine, the Doctrine of Information Security of Ukraine, certain laws and regulations of Ukraine), which define information security as one of the most important functions of the state, reveal the primary threats to national security in the information sphere , set priorities for information security, stipulate mechanisms for counteracting information aggression. The study of Ukrainian legislation allowed the author to establish key legal principles for combating information aggression, such as follows: - identification of information and psychological warfare as an urgent threat to national security; - establishment of the institutions responsible for information and psychological security, addition of the function of protection of information space to the competence of existing public authorities (Ministry of Information Policy, National Security and Defense Council, CMU, Security Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Culture, intelligence agencies, State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection, etc.); - protection of information television and radio space and the market of printed products by banning access to the Ukrainian market of materials aimed at eliminating the independence of Ukraine, promoting a positive image of the authorities of the aggressor state, justifying the occupation of Ukraine; - setting quotas for the national audiovisual product; - ban on popularization of the aggressor state and calls in its favor during touring events in Ukraine; - condemnation and elimination of symbols of the communist totalitarian regime; - development of means and tools to respond to aggression in cyberspace; - improvement of professional training in the field of information security, introduction of national educational programs on media culture, etc.