The Russo-Ukrainian War

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On 21–22 February 2025, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies’ online analytical publication Forum for Ukrainian Studies will host an international conference in Ottawa, Canada, titled “The Russo-Ukrainian War: Russia’s Information Warfare Strategies in Comparative Perspective.” 

Russia’s disinformation and propaganda campaigns played a significant role in the illegal occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblast in 2014 and the subsequent full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The conference aims to closely examine, from a variety of perspectives and viewpoints, the propaganda and disinformation warfare strategies that Russia has been using in Ukraine and other countries to destabilize political and social conditions.

The goal of this conference is to study the mechanisms and effectiveness of Russia’s propaganda and narratives, which influence the attitudes, perceptions, ideas, and identities of different groups in order to impact government policies, discredit the reputation of democratic institutions, and undermine trust in them.

Acting through Russian or Russia-supported external media—which were rendered to look like free and plural outlets in the Western democratic environment— Russia implemented mechanisms to influence public opinion and political systems. Russia also pioneered extensively used new technologies and social media in weaponizing information.

Scholars have identified information activities and propaganda as elements of Russia’s hybrid warfare; some call it “asymmetric” or “irregular,” while Russia calls it “non-linear.” The informational component of its aggression—which includes dissemination of desirable narratives, discreditation of other narratives, sowing doubt in solid facts, confusing audiences with contradictory messages, and controlling access to electronic communication devices—has become pivotal for Russia.

Russia’s increasing use of new disinformation and propaganda warfare technologies is a strategically important issue for the state security of all democratic countries. During the conference, prominent experts will examine the role of Russia’s disinformation and propaganda in its war against Ukraine in a global comparative context, contributing to the awareness and understanding of Russia’s intentions and strategies in Canada, the US, Europe, and other countries and regions worldwide.

Canada’s membership in NATO and active support of Ukraine make it an attractive potential target of Russia’s propaganda and cyber-attacks. Canada has many commonalities with Ukraine that Russia can exploit to form damaging narratives which have the potential to destabilize democratic order. Notably, the Ukrainian diaspora community in Canada is also a primary target of Kremlin propaganda. 

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has also welcomed around 300,000 Ukrainians, who arrived under a special authorization for emergency travel. All of those newcomers are possible targets of disinformation and propaganda, with the potential result of hatred towards this group.  

This conference aims to foster discussion on these important topics among experts in different fields, including professional journalists and media experts, political scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists. It will also focus on engaging local communities in Canada and abroad, mindful of the benefits of social engagement in helping to adopt new systems of checks and balances that play an essential role vis-à-vis potential information threats.

This conference is possible thanks to a grant from the Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program of the Department of National Defence (DND) and sponsorship from the Kule Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS) at the University of Alberta and the Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa. 

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