Security Analysis of the Information Space of the Kherson Oblast during the Russian Occupation

Abstract

The article analyzes the security aspects of the information space of the Kherson region during the first 80 days of the Russian occupation of the region. During the occupation of the region, the aggressor has made many steps to seize the information space of the Kherson region, including, in particular, enforcement on local media. According to the results of local media, monitoring it was established that most local media defend pro-Ukrainian positions and do not publish Russian propaganda narratives. We conclude that the informational support of the occupying forces in the region is the all-Russian medias, which before the full-scale invasion had a strong «information bridgehead» in the region, while local puppet collaborators do not have significant information resources to exert their own influence in the region what further reduces their political weight. The author also notes the key role of online media and social networks, which have become a key element of the information space of Kherson region.