Ukraine must counter Russia’s informatics in three ways
Using strategic communications with a clear assessment will help build resilience to hybrid threats.
This was answered by the Secretary to the Director of the Center for National Security and Communication under the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Henry Collis at Kyiv Stratcom Forum, Ukrinform reports.
“We know the scale of the hybrid threats. We can say that the tool of counteraction is the most strategic communications. But it is very important what narrative we will talk about the stability and strength of our system of resistance, “said Collis.
According to him, cyber threats are among the threats that are not necessarily military in nature, but often have an economic nature or an attempt to influence the scientific community. “Therefore, we can use strategic communication to increase the resilience of each of these sectors in different ways. This approach changes behavior, makes them more objective on security issues, “said the British representative.
He stressed the need to strengthen protection against cyber attacks, especially on the authorities and government agencies. At the same time, small businesses and companies can also be victims of hostile influence, so it is necessary to increase their awareness, provide them with information about the measures they can use to protect themselves.
The representative of the British government also drew attention to the fact that democratizing the task of the Center for Strategic Communications is to tell the world story about Ukraine, its independence, role and Euro-Atlantic trajectory.
At the same time, according to Collis, in order to counter Russian information operations, Ukraine must work in three strategic directions.
“First, it is necessary to develop a system of damaged information impact. Secondly, we need to take care of the environment in which misinformation can flourish. This is prevented by the independent media, so the sector needs to be strengthened. Third, we need to work with our audience and increase the literacy of the population, “he said.
The British official added that Russia is actively using disinformation, which can be counteracted through public diplomacy and the dissemination of its own narrative.
Russia often uses such an approach as “whataboutism”, when they do not deny the current state of affairs, do not recognize the real facts. Instead, we must counteract this by spreading truthful information. To do this, Ukraine must speak about its point of view, its commitment to democracy and European action, “Collis said.
As Ukrinform reported, the Stratcom Forum, the first international forum on strategic communications in Ukraine, is being held on December 8. It involves NATO and EU diplomats, Ukrainian officials, and representatives of non-governmental organizations specializing in strategic communications and the fight against misinformation. The forum was organized by the Center for Strategic Communications.
Photo: UA.EU.NATO