THE IMPACT OF RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA ON THE INFORMATION SOVEREIGNTY OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

This article examines in detail the impact of information campaigns on the information sovereignty of the states of modern Europe. It analyzes the functions of the media as agents of information security in the context of the information society, military conflicts, hostilities and information wars. The study examines the role of propaganda and information wars in modern international conflicts as significant factors affecting state security and international stability. In the context of rapid technological development and growing access to information through social media, it is clear that propaganda has become a powerful tool for influencing public beliefs and shaping public opinion. One of the key aspects that requires attention is the impact of propaganda on political processes in society. Information campaigns have the potential to control public attention to specific issues or events, significantly influencing the formation of public opinion and attitudes towards political figures or parties. This influence is often realized through manipulative approaches to the presentation of information and the use of emotional arguments aimed at changing or reinforcing the political beliefs of citizens. Another important aspect is the impact of propaganda on interethnic relations. Propaganda can play a role in maintaining or escalating tensions between states, causing conflict situations and threats to international security. This becomes especially risky in the context of regional conflicts and potential destabilization of international relations. With the advent of the Internet and social media, propaganda has gained the ability to spread quickly and on a large scale, which contributes to massive disinformation and falsification of news. Such information can significantly change the public perception of real events and facts, distorting an objective understanding of situations. Assessing the role of information warfare in modern conflicts is an extremely important task, as a detailed understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of such wars is key to developing effective strategies to ensure national and international security. This analytical approach allows identifying and counteracting potential threats, ensuring stability at various levels. This study focuses on disinformation as one of the aspects of information warfare, while other elements of hybrid warfare are not considered. This limitation is due to the choice of the focus of the study, which seeks to better understand the specifics of the impact of disinformation on modern conflicts.