Geopolitics and Information Warfare: Russia’s Approach

Abstract

This article explores the viewpoint prevailing among Russian researchers in respect to the transformation of geopolitics in the Information Age. It focuses on the changes in the concepts of power and space, which resulted in the emergence of information geopolitics as an important problem for scientific analysis. The article discusses information warfare, which is perceived in Russia as a tool for implementing modern geopolitical strategies. Traditional manipulation techniques and mediagenic crisis scenarios are analysed. The concept of a national information culture, which performs the function of protecting modern society from information attacks, is also introduced in this article. A tendency has recently emerged in information warfare studies and practical politics to deal with the problem of information security by imposing traditional bans and restrictions. Since such an approach does not suit open democratic societies, this article proposes alternative methods of addressing information security issues.