From Pulpit to Propaganda: Anatomy of a Russian Information Operation

The Russian budget for propaganda and disinformation is $1.3 billion a year. What is Putin getting for this money? 

A Disinformation Case Example

I come across large numbers of people who oppose Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the grounds that he’s an anti-Christian atheist. They point to the fact that Zelensky has deliberately shut down churches and monasteries. 

If this were the whole story, I would also have some serious reservations about Zelensky. But it’s not the whole story, and in fact, it’s a case study in how a disinformation operation works. 

According to David Glancy, Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at Washington’s prestigious Institute of World Politics, the most effective disinformation has three elements. “All effective disinformation needs to have a kernel of truth,” he begins. “In this case, the kernel of truth is that churches in Ukraine have been shut down.”

He goes on to say that for disinformation to work, it also needs to include an element of something we’d like to believe. For many people in the West, the idea that the Russian Orthodox Church is a bulwark against Western decadence and hedonism has a great deal of appeal.

However, the third element of an effective disinformation campaign is, it contains something misleading or false. In this case, people hearing that Zelensky is closing churches get the impression that Zelinsky is going after all churches. In fact, he only closed Russian Orthodox churches that were actively aiding the invaders.

The fact is, most churches in Ukraine remain open. I know this because in the last year, I’ve visited Ukraine three times, and while there, visited many churches and talked with many of the clergy. In every case, there were many worshippers present, and the vitality of these churches was both evident and moving. 

In the case of this particular anti-Zelensky campaign, the Russians exploited several factors that made it effective. They know that in a country that values separation of church and state, it’s our instinct to be appalled at the idea of a government closing down a church. 

Another reason that Russian propaganda works: they know that we’ll practice “mirror imaging.” We in the West assume that Russia is like us and that there’s a separation between church and state. It’s easy for us to assume that if the Ukrainian government shuts down a church, it’s because it’s anti-religion.

The Russian Orthodox Church Weaponized

While it’s true that Zelensky shut down some religious institutions, the bigger picture is the only ones he shut down were the Russian Orthodox churches that the Russians were using for espionage and disinformation. The churches were not independent religious entities like those in the West. They were actively undermining the democratic government of Ukraine.

First Mover Advantage

One final aspect of disinformation that the Russians exploit: by getting there first with the story, they have a compelling advantage. If someone believes a story after hearing it, it’s usually difficult to change the belief in light of new information. The original belief can become a small part of their identity, and giving it up is uncomfortable. 

The Russian disinformation specialists know this. According to Glancy, these bad actors use a firehose approach of spreading a vast array of misinformation, knowing that if you hear the disinformation first, if you’re typical, that’s what you’ll believe. This also makes it harder to sift through the facts to find out what the truth really is.

The sad fact from the point of view of Western democracies is that the Russians know what they’re doing in the information wars. For Putin, the $1.3 billion he’s spent on these efforts is a good investment. And for proof, keep an eye out for how many trolls comment on this article. They’re part of how Putin conducts disinformation operations—often with the help of his friend, Chairman Xi.