THE INFORMATIONAL COMPONENT OF THE HYBRID WAR (ON THE EXAMPLE OF LOCAL MEDIA)

Abstract

The goal of research is to study the specifics of countering hostile informational influences carried out by local Internet media, as well as to outline the specifics of Russian informational attacks on representatives of a specific territorial community. The object of the study is information disseminated in the media as a response to hostile information attacks. The subject of the study is the identification, definition and analysis of narratives used by the enemy to simulate a parallel reality and distort the worldview and value picture of the world of members of the local community. The work uses methods of analysis and synthesis, selective, descriptive, comparative and semantic methods. Investigations posted on the website of the local online publication «Ґвара медіа» (Kharkiv region) served as the material for the research. The paper examines the concept of «information war» (information influence, information component of hybrid war, information-psychological operation) as an essential factor of hybrid war. It is noted that an information war is a form of confrontation in the information space between various warring actors, which aims to harm the enemy’s information sphere and protect one’s own information sphere. Fakes, disinformation, propaganda, etc. are tools of information warfare. An important task of the modern media community is the systematic counteraction to hostile influences, in particular, the monitoring of fake or distorted information. The analysis of the investigations published in «Фактчек» section of the local Internet media «Ґвара медіа» in January–May 2024 made it possible to highlight a list of narratives promoted by the enemy side. It was revealed that the most common narratives in the specified period were aimed, firstly, at discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and, secondly, at discrediting local authorities.