Do they cheat us all the time? A friend asked me this question erstwhile she heard an interview with a Ukrainian soldier from Snake Island on the radio. She was absolutely convinced that the Russians had killed them all in the first days of the war. She had no thought she was a victim of war. War is hard to see in 3rd countries. Not our war. Modern armed conflicts are conducted on land, at sea, in the air, through the financial strategy and information and media system. This was mentioned by military expert Krzysztof Podgórski. The importance of information war cannot be underestimated. Many people watch regular news services on major tv channels, they have no thought – like my friend, that she is the recipient of information in much of the military peculiar services. And not only Polish – due to the fact that in this case most likely besides Ukrainian, British and yet American. possibly besides Russian or Chinese. Both sides of the conflict that is taking place in Ukraine apply large importance to the information put into circulation. This is peculiarly actual of information that is sent to countries indirectly involved. And although the Russians alternatively win militarily in Ukraine itself, in my opinion they lose the information war completely.
The formations of information and intellectual operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were trained by excellent and blended with Western NATO-Wski specialists (mainly American and British). Especially the Americans have been aware of the importance of this problem since the Vietnam War, and they have most likely sensed the Ukrainians on this subject. The U.S. believes that, at the time, they were losing mainly media. People were solidarity with the enemy. Ukrainians no longer make old mistakes of Uncle Sam's troops, and they perfectly present their information narrative, which is frequently exaggerated, exaggerated, or sometimes completely lying. The Russians do the same, though more impervious. Poland, due to the fact that it is NATO's flank state, has become tight on Russian (Belarusian, Chinese) information and misinformation. The average Polish viewer, let never scope him.
I don't blame them, it's part of the martial arts and as specified it should/can be used. It's like sitting in a poker game with cheats – you cheated, I cheated – the better 1 won. It is our authorities who should inform citizens to stay more critical of both Ukrainian and Russian narratives. due to the fact that it's bad how politicians and journalists who represent our business participate in the war game of our neighbour and cheat their own people. Unfortunately, the service mentioned by Mr Jasina is on the agenda. We are not a organization to this conflict, and we should never be. due to the fact that our homeland is Poland, not Ukraine or Russia. This is not our war, although people like Sikorski or the Blacksmith would very much like it to happen.
Who deals with information and misinformation from Ukraine? Here the answer is given by the expert portalmilitarny.pl (reprint from the larger text that appeared in fresh Military Technology in 2023):
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine (SZ Ukraine), as well as another armies, have peculiar formations dedicated to conducting information and intellectual operations. And the military's leadership, especially in the information environment, is aimed at defending its own country and resisting external (foreign) disinformation threatening its own national interests. Information and intellectual Units of Operations (IPSOs) are organizationally part of the peculiar Operations Force of Ukraine, and their motto is, "The head wins power".
Tasks and structures
The Ukrainian IPSO Formation consists of the following centres and branches:
72. Information and intellectual Centre of Operations (town of Brewery, Kiev region) – established in Sevastopol in October 2004 and aimed at identifying and preventing information and intellectual threats against Ukraine and providing information and analytical support;
74. Information and intellectual Centre for Operations (Lviv);
83rd Operations Information and intellectual Centre (Odessa) – together with the Lviv Centre is tasked with collecting and analyzing information, spreading propaganda and developing responses to political events;
16. Information and intellectual Centre for Operations (Hujwa settlement, Żytomier region).
In general, it is the centres of information and intellectual operations that are tasked with monitoring the socio-political situation in neighbouring countries, preparing and conducting peculiar information actions (operations), distributing propaganda materials, and providing information and analytical support to the command. These include management, main units and support. It is known that staff can make more than 100 people, and the equipment utilized is mainly encryption and coding machines, radio stations, telecommunications sets, etc.
The tasks of IPSO centres include:
– an analysis of the moral and intellectual state of the population and personnel of the military forces of the opponent, counter-intelligence propaganda among the local population and its disinformation by creating and publishing “false” information, photograph and video material in the media and social networks with widespread access;
– conducting information actions and peculiar operations;
– achieving an information and intellectual advantage over the enemy, based on a multi-action impact on its military personnel and civilian population, disclosure of plans and applicable measures utilized by the opposing organization to conduct information operations;
– the information and intellectual impact in order to demoralise the civilian population and military personnel of a possible opponent and informably support the actions of his opposition;
– participation in public opinion-making, consistent change in the orientation of the local population and preparation of analytical papers for management purposes.
It is known that in practice specialists from the American 4th Group of Information and intellectual Operations and the British 77th Information Branch Brigade have been providing direct assistance in organizing the work of IPSO centres. Recruitment to these formations is primarily conducted among military graduates of universities specified as the Military Academy of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology, the Military Institute of Kiev National University Taras Shevchenko or the Żytomierski Military Institute. IPSO specialists besides undergo specialized cyclical training in U.S. military bases and centres.”
Ukrainian IPSO centres, in addition to authoritative media, usage a wide scope of information resources on the Internet, including information services, "public" on social networks and coordinated social network user groups. Under the control of these structures, there is simply a large proportion of national information resources, alleged volunteers on the Internet, including the Informationnapalm community, Peacemaker, Information Resistance, as well as commercial sites that are utilized as a platform to conduct information campaigns and test social technologies.
Information support for Armed Forces activities Ukraine is divided into 3 levels. Firstly, we have authoritative media active here, and tv and radio are the main directions of the tasks. On these resources, information activities are carried out to the Ukrainians themselves. Among another things, information on the actions and intentions of the Russian Federation, the moves of the authorities of the rebellious republics of Donbass, as well as historical fact is being communicated. Importantly, as a consequence of the increase in the scope of broadcasting of Ukrainian radio stations, this message besides reaches residents in occupied territories of the erstwhile Lugansk and Donetsk circuits and Crimea.
Jerzy Igniatowski
