Information weapons within the interstate struggle in the XXI Century

Abstract

In particular, information weapons and social media weapons have become a weighty and decisive factor in warfare. Moreover, military conflict models increasingly use information as a weapon in virtual space. The article aims to analyze the peculiarities of the use of information weapons in interstate struggle on the example of empirical assessment of the use of disinformation methods against Ukraine in 2021-2022. Methodology. The study used the methods of cases and content analysis of reports and analytical bulletins of the Centre for Counteracting Disinformation of Ukraine to assess the use of information weapons, in particular the spread of disinformation in the information space of Ukraine. The reports and analytical bulletins from December 3, 2021, to February 21, 2022, were used for content analysis. Results. The main types of misinformation that are spread in the Ukrainian information space are: 1) misleading a particular person or group of people (even an entire nation); 2) manipulation, and 3) creation of the desired public opinion. We determined the main characteristics of fake news (unknown source, manipulative headline, emotional coloring, lack of reference to the head, value judgments). Based on the analysis, trends in the dissemination of false, manipulative information are identified.