Imaginary realms in the Russian media

Information warfare is a very broad concept which refers to one of the methods of warfighting. However, unlike conventional warfare, in this case it is the management of information and communications technology that is expected to win an advantage over the enemy. To this end, mainly information is used, and not computers, command control systems or software. To be more precise, information warfare is about manipulating trusted information without the target’s awareness, so as to let the target make decisions against its own interests, but in the interest of the entity employing information warfare. It is therefore difficult to say where information warfare begins or ends, or how strong and destructive the aggressor’s operations are. Therefore, information warfare is an element of hybrid warfare and accompanies, and often precedes, conventional warfare.

Tomasz Zawadzki and Kornel Kowieski of War Studies University point out that “in today’s world, information warfare plays an extremely important role in international politics, often becoming one of the main tools for conducting it.” There are many reasons for this, primarily the high effectiveness of this method of warfare at low costs.