Russia Using Information Confrontation as a Weapons System

The Russian Armed Forces integrate information confrontation at all levels of military planning to achieve strategic outcomes without the use of conventional force. Deception is a key component of information confrontation, enabling Russian commanders to conduct offensive and defensive operations. Observations from Russian operations in Crimea and, most recently, OPERATION OVERLOAD in Moldova highlight how information confrontation impacted tactical to strategic initiatives. Understanding information confrontation would allow U.S. Army commanders, staffs, and planners to enhance the visualization of the operational environment, counter Russian deception tactics, and improve training against Russian information confrontation operations.