Published in November 2016 by NATO Defense College, this Fellowship Monograph authored by Keir Giles offers an authoritative guide to Russian information warfare principles, concepts, and practices. It synthesizes extensive open-source Russian military literature and expert analyses to provide NATO officers and officials with a foundational understanding of Russia’s broad and ongoing information confrontation strategy. The handbook covers terminological clarifications, strategic objectives such as achieving ‘reflexive control’ and fostering a permissive environment, and the historical evolution of Russia’s approach, particularly since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. It describes information warfare as a peacetime and wartime tool involving cyber operations, psychological efforts, maskirovka (deception), disinformation campaigns, electronic warfare, and communications disruption. Notably, it highlights Russia’s aim for intellectual superiority, asymmetric responses, and cost-effective measures to compensate for conventional military inferiority. The document details implementation mechanisms including cyber attacks, troll farms, botnets, and manipulation via social media platforms and states Russia seeks to prevent NATO unity on collective defense through strategic influence. This handbook serves as a comprehensive, up-to-date resource for countering Russian hybrid warfare threats in the information domain.

Published in November 2016 by NATO Defense College, this Fellowship Monograph authored by Keir Giles offers an authoritative guide to Russian information warfare principles, concepts, and practices. It synthesizes extensive open-source Russian military literature and expert analyses to provide NATO officers and officials with a foundational understanding of Russia’s broad and ongoing information confrontation strategy. The handbook covers terminological clarifications, strategic objectives such as achieving ‘reflexive control’ and fostering a permissive environment, and the historical evolution of Russia’s approach, particularly since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. It describes information warfare as a peacetime and wartime tool involving cyber operations, psychological efforts, maskirovka (deception), disinformation campaigns, electronic warfare, and communications disruption. Notably, it highlights Russia’s aim for intellectual superiority, asymmetric responses, and cost-effective measures to compensate for conventional military inferiority. The document details implementation mechanisms including cyber attacks, troll farms, botnets, and manipulation via social media platforms and states Russia seeks to prevent NATO unity on collective defense through strategic influence. This handbook serves as a comprehensive, up-to-date resource for countering Russian hybrid warfare threats in the information domain.