Yle: Russia has left behind a new round in the information war with Ukraine

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Putin’s recent statements on “prevention of terrorist attacks in the Crimea” has caused a stir and inspired the international audience more credible than the words Poroshenko about the fact that Ukraine was forced to pull the troops because of the threatening actions of Russia, writes Yle. Although after some time, observers have raised several questions about who in fact can provoke exacerbation of the conflict, Putin this time is a leader in the information game and the rest only anxiously wondering what will be his next move, the article said.

Yle: Россия оставила за собой новый раунд в информационной войне с Украиной

Messages of Russian news agencies that “the FSB prevented a Ukrainian intelligence preparing attacks in the Crimea”, put the buck on all information services Europe, writes Yle. Following this, President Putin made “unusually harsh statement”, promising to take “retaliatory actions” against Kiev, and refusing to attend a planned summit with the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine. In news reports that appeared immediately after Putin’s speech reflected the main position of Moscow and questions have been raised about whether the Ukrainian troops had invaded Crimea and whether Ukraine planned terrorist acts, the article notes.

“However, those who more closely followed the events, all knew that a major event the previous days, it was the movement of Russian military equipment to Crimea. This is a threatening action of Russia has forced Ukraine to increase the number of its troops on the border with the Crimea”, — says the author. According to him, all careful observers were concerned about “possible provocation of Russia and the transfer of technology to the Crimea”, and only later they were “new concerns” as to which side the provocation can be carried out from the side of Russia or Ukraine (or both) are involved in this? “Usually the position is formed such details as the time and date. And make it easy, because what about Ukraine, they did not match, but against Russia, the opposite was authentic. Putin’s statement inspired more confidence than the statements Poroshenko”, — says Yle.

On the map you can clearly see, “what pressure on all fronts have rendered Russia to Ukraine with last weekend”, the article said: “the Equipment was moved to the North of the Crimea and Donbas. It is also interesting that Russia held military exercises in Transnistria, located at the Western borders of Ukraine. This forced Ukraine to strengthen its defense on many fronts, although the number of its troops is limited.” At this time, information on the movement of Russian troops spread quickly, and Putin’s speech with this link, the author notes: “the Russian charges, Ukrainian leadership in the preparation of the strike in the Crimea are typical today. Incident without evidence, to which journalists must take their stand. In the information war and information exposure is much more important than truth fiction, history. Very often in the memory of the people is narrated at the very beginning.

In the course of purposeful informational influence we are talking “about the world outside of the facts,” in which “truth is a relative concept” and the main thing is “not what has actually happened, and how to best apply this fact to the public”, the article says: “In this world, the Kremlin feels like home, and it was shown many times in recent years. Russia has said that to carry out “subversive operations” participated “super secret intelligence agencies of Ukraine”, but the first accused was the driver of the bus from Zaporozhye Evgeny Panov — probably “not the best contender for the title of super-agent”, says Yle. Relatives Panov’s claim that he left the house in a tracksuit and was going to go to the country to his friend, but he was kidnapped. The Russian authorities impose “footage”, where suspects confess in front of the camera in their actions — however “the impression that confessions are reading a piece of paper and under pressure,” the author stresses. According to him, the latest accusations of Moscow in Kyiv are “strange”, because Ukraine is “by all means deny that she provokes Russia, which is superior to her militarily”.

Moscow has previously used a weapon of information exposure, demonstrating a real expertise in this area, when sought to give “a popular uprising in Ukraine” in the spring of 2014 for the “fascist coup”, the article notes. Another example of an effective informational influence was the coverage of the crash of a passenger airliner MH17, which in the summer of 2014 “was shot down by Russia-backed rebels”, writes Yle: “as the West has found new evidence that Russia has invented own history.” Meanwhile, Russian military equipment — “including from the Crimea” — began secretly moved to Syria, and in September Russia surprised everyone with the sudden statement about the beginning of there “anti-terrorist operation”. Then Moscow again managed to convince all”, and only after some time to a wide audience, it became clear that in the first place she saved “suffering military defeat Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad,” the author stresses. Now media reported that Russia has opened a humanitarian corridor to Aleppo to assist the local population, and do not remember that “military actions waged by Russia and its allies in recent months, was accompanied by terrible violence,” reads the article.

Putin’s statement on 10 August indicates “a sharp change in the war between Ukraine and Russia, because such sharp words against Kiev from the mouth of the Russian President had not heard for quite some time, concludes the author: “the Coming weeks will show what kind of endgame is about. Goals can be different.” Own citizens before the elections, the Kremlin needs to demonstrate determination, and in light of “preventing a terrorist strike on tourist facilities is an act worthy of a statesman. On the other hand, Russia’s refusal from participation in the upcoming summit meeting of the Minsk agreement is a signal to countries of the West, who will now have to re – bait the negotiating table,” Putin again appeared in the limelight, the author stresses: “In fact, strange, if Putin wants the failure of the Minsk process. His whole format is dictated by Russia. According to him, Russia is not a party to the war, but only a mediator in the negotiations. Ukraine had to agree to the conditions of the Minsk agreements in August 2014 due to large human casualties.

His sharp speech, Putin managed to put the whole world on tiptoe”, and the question, “does it attack Ukraine”, will for some time continue to trouble the international community, the article says: “Now talk about whether the Russian army open attack from the Crimean Peninsula by the forces of his army. Two and a half years this has never happened. Russia actually from the very beginning participated in the war in the Donbass, but has publicly denied his involvement in it. The attack from the territory of Crimea would demonstrate deception.” The possibility of such an attack currently looks quite unlikely, since in this case we are talking about a”new stage of the war” — and it is difficult to imagine how such escalation would serve the interests of Russia, says the author. “On the other hand, everything is possible and we must be ready for anything. Something Putin should do, because he promised. It doesn’t have to be a military operation. Ways to weigh quite a lot. One thing is certain: Putin and this time the leader in the information game. The initiative is on his side, the other anxiously wondering what will be next step”, concludes Yle.

Photo: Reuters

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