In
this millennium, Russia’s policy has been of pushing back on its
boundaries, warring with Georgia, annexing Crimea and fighting an
“undeclared war” in Ukraine. From the Russian standpoint, their
actions are aimed at restoring the balance of power, pushing back
against the expansion of NATO at its borders and correcting the
injustice of what happened in 1991. It’s Russia’s comeback.
In
this context, the old KGB strategy of “active measures” is
getting a closer look. “Active measures” were subversive
techniques and policies aimed at influencing people and events in
foreign countries to suit Russia’s objectives. Claims of
internet-driven hacking and misinformation campaigns by Russia
against the U.S. fit well within this Cold War approach.
As
described by retired KGB General Oleg Kalugin in 1987, the purpose of
“active measures” was to drive wedges in the Western
community alliances of all sorts, particularly NATO, to sow discord
among allies, to weaken a certain country in the eyes of the people
in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and thus to prepare ground in
case the war really occurs. To make a state more vulnerable to the
anger and distrust of other peoples.
According
to former NSA analyst and security expert John Schindler, these
measures are still in use today by Russia, a country led by the
former KGB officer Vladimir Putin. Moreover, they are directed now
not only against the West, but against neighbor countries such as
Ukraine as well.
The
practice of disinformation
is a key example of such “measures”. It could involve stories
planted in foreign outlets - essentially “fake news” that would
present “an alluring amalgam of fact and fantasy—much of it
unverifiable—designed to confuse readers and shift political
discussions,” explains Schindler. For example, Crucifixion in
Slovyansk
(http://www.stopfake.org/en/lies-crucifixion-on-channel-one/),
alleged Kyiv Classification Residents of Crimea and Donbas as
Terrorists
(http://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-kyiv-to-classify-crimea-and-donbas-residents-as-terrorists/)
and so on.
Other
tactics that are part of what Schindler considers Russia “espionage
worldview” include provocations
which also work to murky the waters and disorient the enemy to such
an extent that they would be defeated before even knowing what
happened. Provocations could include planting agitators or even
flipping activists to serve your ends. For instance, exacerbation of
the situation in different regions of Ukraine (“Mass Riots” In
Odessa Turn Out To Be Staged
http://www.stopfake.org/en/mass-riots-in-odessa-turn-out-to-be-staged/),
stirring up hatered among people (clashes near the monument to the
Unknown sailor in Odessa
http://en.censor.net.ua/photo_news/435681/six_people_detained_in_odesa_as_russia_supporters_clashed_with_patriotic_organizations_members_during).
Conspiracy
which involves recruiting agents and running covert operations is
another tactic mentioned by Schindler
(http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/24/kremlin-critic-gunned-down-by-russian-agent-ukrainian-official-says/).
“Kompromat”
which entails using compromising materials is also time-honored KGB
staple, used to recruit new spies or agents by blackmailing
(http://nv.ua/ukraine/events/agenty-kremlja-chto-izvestno-o-sotrudnichestve-ukraintsev-so-spetssluzhbami-rossii-686716.html).
The
same technique is actively used in the conflict in the East of
Ukraine. The so-called “toolkit” of old KGB methods is
cost-effective and generally less risky than a direct military
confrontation due to the confusion they cause.
Former
FBI agent Clint Watts Watts, who is now a senior fellow at the
Foreign Policy Research Institute laid out 5 ways in which Russian
active measures are designed to topple democracy:
1.
Undermine citizen confidence in democratic governance
2.
Foment and exacerbate divisive political fractures
3.
Erode trust between citizens and elected officials and democratic
institutions
4.
Popularize Russian policy agendas within foreign populations
5.
Create general distrust or confusion over information sources by
blurring the lines between fact and fiction
Another
tactic used by the Russians appears to be the employment of an army
of Twitter bots that are spreading fake news. This information was
shared by former FBI agent Clint Watts in his testimony before the
Senate Committee on Intelligence. What is a goal of such an
information campaign, you ask? The aim is to cause unprecedented
chaos within Ukraine and worsen its position worldwide. The question
is - how does the international community adjust?
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