How the Information Warfare Turns Into Full-Scale Military Agression: the Experience of Ukraine
Authors: Hordiichuk Olha , Halapsis Alex , Kozlovets Mykola 
Published: January 2024

The article analyzes the main ideological components and tools of Russia’s information, hybrid and full-scale war against Ukraine. Since the time of Ivan III, Russia has implemented the model of eastern despotism, which claims a special historical mission (“Moscow as the third Rome”). This model involves imperialism, absolutism, anti-democracy, disregard for human rights and the rights of nations. Throughout its history (Moscow Princedom – Russian Empire – Soviet Union – Russian Federation), the external forms of this model changed, but its essence remained unaltered, which is why it was always hostile to European values.

From the middle of the 17th century, when Ukrainian lands came under Russian control, it did everything to spread this model to them. To this end, it has taken such actions as rewriting history, banning the Ukrainian language and culture, destroying ethnic self-awareness, as well as repression and genocide against the Ukrainian people. Nevertheless, the oppressor failed to completely destroy the code of freedom, which is fundamental to the Ukrainian mentality. Nevertheless, the oppressor failed to completely destroy the code of freedom, which is fundamental to the Ukrainian mentality.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union (1991), Ukraine got the opportunity to build its statehood on the values of freedom and democracy, and realized itself as a full-fledged member of the European family. Russia perceived Ukraine’s independence as a threat to its mission and moved to an ideological war against Ukraine. All methods of propaganda were employed, including distortion of facts, creation and mass distribution of pseudo-historical narratives, fakes, manipulations and outright lies. During the rule of Vladimir Putin, the doctrine of “Russkiy mir” (“Russian world”) was developed as a neo-imperial myth, and the Ukrainian state was viewed as a historical mistake that had to be corrected through new colonization. When during the Revolution of Dignity (2014) Ukrainians removed a corrupt pro-Russian politician Viktor Yanukovych from power, Russia resorted to the hybrid war during which it annexed Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Although the civilized world did not recognize the Russian annexation, its reaction was too restrained. This gave Putin hope that the world’s response to further aggression would also be weak, and therefore on February 24, 2022, he ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian ruler underestimated the will of Ukrainians to fight for their freedom, lives, and European ideals. Putin and his henchmen also underestimated the harsh reaction of the civilized world to Russian barbarism. An unpleasant surprise for them was the unprecedented military and financial aid that the West provides to Ukraine. Russian propaganda cannot hide from the world the terrible war crimes and offences against humanity committed by the Russian military. This war is not just a war between two states – it is a war between medieval barbarism and civilization. Ukraine’s victory determines not only the fate of Ukraine, but also the entire world order.