Disinformation as a Tool of Russian Aggression: Information Operations and Violations of International Law

No analysis of Russian aggression against Ukraine can be limited solely to kinetic actions, that is, battlefield operations, occupation of territories or direct violations of the integrity of the state. From the very outset, this war has also been waged in the information domain, which forms not just an auxiliary but indeed a structural part in the entire conflict.

Disinformation, manipulated narratives and control of information flows are key components in planning, conducting and legitimizing aggression. As the war has become a protracted war of attrition, these continue to gain in legal relevance.

In 2022–2025, the Russian Federation has consistently used information operations to exert influence on Ukrainian society, public opinion in third countries, and international political and legal institutions. These messages went beyond propaganda in the strict sense to encompass systematic actions aimed at justifying the use of force, relativizing responsibility for crimes, undermining the legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities and weakening international support for its right to self-defence. Disinformation has become an integral part of aggression, not just its narrative framework.

This raises fundamental questions from the perspective of international law. Can information operations conducted in a coordinated, long-term manner, subordinated to military objectives, constitute significant evidence in the assessment of crimes of aggression, war crimes and violations of humanitarian law? In this context, it is of particular importance to consider the relationship between disinformation and attempts to legitimize unlawful actions (occupation, attacks on civilians, repressions).

This analysis sets out to present disinformation as a tool with real consequences, not only those related to communication but above all legal ones. Based on analytical materials from 2022–2025, including situation reports by the INFO OPS Polska Foundation, this paper gives a systematic account of Russian information operations in terms of international law, pointing to their function in the structure of aggression and their evidential power in future accountability mechanisms.

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