The Russian Informational and Digital Influence Strategy in Europe Hérodote, n°164, 2017
The article discusses Russia’s informational and digital strategy towards Europe. It focuses on its content, instruments, infrastructures and techniques.
This strategy can be divided into two complementary parts. On the one hand, Russia’s state-controlled mediated public diplomacy is represented by two international multimedia networks, RT and Sputnik, which mobilize both traditional and social media and identify themselves as « alternative » and non-mainstream broadcasters. Their main purpose is to affect European populations in a way favorable to Moscow’s interests, by relying on a pro-sovereignty, illiberal and anti-atlanticist discourse. On the other hand, Russia now relies heavily on digital networks to become a key player in internal European political debates. While the United States are wondering about the role played by Moscow in the 2016 presidential elections, this paper will attempt to discuss the economic, political and technical instruments that Russia possesses to develop a concrete « cyberinfluence » in Europe.
This content is available in French on Cairn.