Use of disinformation as a weapon in contemporary international relations: accountability for Russian actions against states and international organizations

Abstract

We have chosen to study international responsibility for carrying out disinformation campaigns, aiming to assess the importance and progress that the use of disinformation campaigns has obtained in contemporary international society as a geopolitical weapon, much like other well-established means such as the use of force. We focus on the situation with Russia because it has become apparent not only to specialized researchers but also to all citizens through the mainstream media that Russia has used disinformation campaigns to cloak its invasion of Ukraine in a smoke cloud of lies and half-truths. Thus, we found that, in the case of the Russian disinformation campaigns, the full circle of the accountability relationship has been completed. The Russian state has been accused of or blamed for carrying out these disinformation campaigns. The violation of certain international obligations has been reported, and it has been held accountable or even sanctioned for this. In light of these findings, it can be concluded that disinformation campaigns are becoming increasingly important as a tool of geopolitics or international relations, either on their own or in conjunction with other, more classic weapons in international society, such as the age-old use of force.