Changes in the Landscape of Political Communication with the Start of the Special Military Operation

Abstract

The role and significance of political communications and strategies in contemporary discourse is rapidly growing, and so is research interest in the communication aspects of the political process. Political communication serves as the semantic aspect of interaction between political actors through information exchange. The symbiosis of modern information technology and political communication has opened new horizons, shaping the interactions between its actors. The special military operation initiated a geopolitical confrontation between Russia, the United States, and Western countries, which has manifested itself in sanctions and information warfare. This geopolitical confrontation places special demands on the communication process. The primary goal is to foster a negative image of the enemy on the international stage through propaganda, counter-propaganda, pressure, coalition building, disinformation, and manipulation. One of the tools of the proxy war against Russia has been the persecution of its journalists abroad and the closure of the international television company “Russia Today” in Europe and the United States. The current stage of information warfare is characterized by the intensity of information flows based on modern information technologies, the growing role of social media and messaging, and the problem of fake news and cyber attacks. Russia counters the fight against lies, censorship of Russian media, and manipulation with transparency (e.g., Russian Ministry of Defense briefings), a firm international position, and unanimity.