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Information Support to The South Ossetian War

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  • Information Support to The South Ossetian War

    INFORMATION SUPPORT TO THE SOUTH OSSETIAN WAR

    http://www.noravank.am/en/?page=analitics&amp ;nid=1356
    13 September 2008

    Samvel Martirosyan

    The war in Ossetia became significant from the standpoint of taking
    information measures by the side of all the parities involved in the
    conflict. Taking into consideration the fact that the military
    operations became quite unexpected and lasted for only several days,
    the strength of information war turned up to prove itself which
    resulted involving huge resources.

    As a whole, the Georgian party worked more efficiently for the foreign
    recipient whereas, Russian propaganda by its form was more targeting
    the internal recipient. So, it was later on found out that the Georgian
    party was sending its press-releases to the most distant corners of the
    world, whereas, Moscow thought of traditional ways of spreading
    materials through news agencies.

    Spreading of disinformation
    Taking into consideration transience of military operations, both of
    the parties were practically misinforming the number of their own
    casualties, troops of the enemy and victims among peaceful population
    etc. During the war they both were operatively informing about
    destroying of huge military subdivisions of the enemy. So, information
    was spread that Georgian subdivisions managed from the very beginning
    to round up and completely destroy the Chechen battalion `East.' The
    information by the Russian party about the same battal ion was
    drastically different: the Georgians run soon after having heard
    Chechen speech on the portable radio transmitter.

    As the parties had to react operatively, the propagandistic services
    were often making mistakes. So, the Russian party was a few days
    announcing unchangeable number of the killed, and then the numbers
    increased by several times, and in the ultimate result turned up to be
    less. The Georgian party attempted accentuating on the ones killed
    among peaceful population, whereas, military casualties were tried not
    to be made shown and no name lists were hang out.

    There are separate controversies over the number of the killed among
    the peaceful population. The Russian party increased the number of the
    killed within two days releasing the final result of two thousand. At
    the same time the Georgian party was continuing using the report of
    Human Rights Watch human rights organization which spoke about tens of
    thousand of victims which had been precisely checked up. Already at the
    end of August the RF General Office of Public Persecutor announced
    about `1692 killed and 1500 wounded as a result of Georgian
    aggression.'

    Using propagandistic visual materials
    Both of the parties used posters and caricatures on the user-defined
    level which were mainly directed to discredit the enemy. As the
    experience has come to prove, realization of propagandistic materials
    directed to raise competitive spirit of the army and civil population
    requires much many than a few days. In this connection, there were
    mainly used visual images which were to discredit the enemy, show up
    its negative traits. In connection with Russia, for example, the image
    of a bear became more widespread, especially in the western press. It
    is noteworthy that both of the parties made parallels with fascism `
    the photos of Sahakashvili, Putin and Medvedev with Hitlerite mustache
    and hair-do became very popular.

    One can judge about the importance of visual information and
    propagandistic materials taking into consideration the way the
    destructions in Tskhinvali were discussed. In the very first reports of
    the Russian parry (earlier the ones of the Ossetian information
    portals) it was spoken about complete destruction of the city. The
    reports about Tskhenvaly little by little were changed in tone, and it
    was later on spoken about scale destructions by aircraft and artillery.
    Later on the Russian part confessed that there were completely
    destroyed for about 10% of buildings in Tskhenvali, and 20 more
    per-cent were destroyed partially. The President of South Ossetia
    openly confessed from his part that the Ossetian army had completely
    demolished Georgian settlements which had been on the territory of the
    Republic. However, this news was not discussed so actively and did not
    result so many commentaries as the satellite photo of Tskhenvali and
    the bordering settlements published by the international organization
    UNOSAT. The organization experts attempted to put an accent on the
    destructions and the completely or partially destroyed buildings. The
    photo brought to the same conclusion as the Russian and Ossetian
    parties confessed. At that, the satellite photo caused many
    controversies as it was impossible to evaluate the damages inflicted on
    the buildings which haven't been destroyed completely.

    Big public excitement was generated by the photos of Reuters which
    depicted the victims among peaceful population after Gori had been
    bombed by the Russian aviation. The Russian internet users and
    journalists denounced agencies in presenting false photos. False
    interview of the author of the photo allegedly given to the radio
    station «Р- Ñ...о Ð`оÑ?кÐ&#x B2; Ñ?» (Echo of Moscow) was thrown in the internet. The
    scandal was so big that Reuters had to announce about conducting
    internal research and publishing photos on the subject. In spite of
    that, the Russian party still has apprehension in originality of the
    photo.

    The Russian party presented a huge number of photos through the blogs
    of his journalists after the destruction made by Georgian techniques
    (bodies of mutilated bodies etc.). The video materials had still more
    effect. In this war it was made active use of video services,
    especially - Youtube and Rutube.

    Attacks on news resources
    Most of the propaganda was by the two parties spread to the foreign
    audience by means of internet: through news and analogical portals, as
    well as social networks, blogs and forums.

    It goes without saying that the Georgian party didn't have any direct
    influence on foreign audience through TV channels, whereas Russia was
    making use of the fact of broadcasting its channels in the CIS
    countries, as well as to the very Georgia. Tbilisi closed this source
    of Russian propaganda in the country ceasing broadcasting of Russian
    Channels. At the same time western TV channels were successfully
    playing the role of speaking-trumpet of the Georgian standpoint on
    certain issues. Interest to the events in the region was great. Thus,
    the agency `News-Georgia,' which was referring to the research group
    Excellence in Journalism based in Washington and tracking flows of
    news, announced on Monday that the conflict in Georgia in connection
    with South Ossetia had became the main subject of world news in August,
    `moving aside' to the second place even Olympic Games in Beijing.
    According to the research, from August 11 to 17 for about 26%
    broadcasting of the biggest world mass media was devoted to the
    conflict. It was elucidated more than the Olympic Games in Beijing and
    much more than the scandal in the US in connection with the confession
    of the ex-candidate for presidency John Edwards in extramarital
    relationship. According to Rasmussen Reports, for about 80% of the US
    population was attentively following the news in the Russian-Georgian
    conflict zone.

    However, internet was used for internal users and to exert
    psychological pressure on the enemy. From the very beginning of the war
    Georgian news and official sites became targets of massive attacks. For
    example, there were hiked the sites of President and Foreign Ministry
    of Georgia and were placed photocollages discrediting Michael
    Sahakashvili comparing him with Adolf Hitler. Georgia's Foreign
    Ministry had to use blogs to spread out its press releases on it. The
    attacks on news resources were so massive that the Russian site
    `Ria-Novosti' also suffered of it, as on its server was hosted the site
    of the Georgian sub-unit of the agency http://newsgeorgia.ru.

    In the attacks on news resources were by both of the parties used not
    only hiking but also social groups. So, the attacks similar by their
    activity to DDoS were carried out not only by means of botnets, that's
    to say, networks of infected zombie-computers. Tens and hundreds of
    users uploaded in their computers simple programs or applied quite
    primitive instructions which were sent especially to hinder normal work
    of the enemy's news portals.

    The Georgian party quite operatively closed the access to the Russian
    segment of internet for its users. However, a number of resources
    avoided filtration, in particular the blogsphere, which became twice as
    active as before. Attendance of the most informative blogs was very
    much increased. Besides, bloges were used as a special kind of
    alternative propagandistic method. Thus, appeared the blog of Alan
    Kachiev, the head of the International direction of the organization
    `New people,' leader of International Youth Assambly -
    http://rupor-naroda.livejournal.com/. It is noteworthy that it is
    registered on August 3, however the first recording in it appears on
    August 4. After that it is positioned (not only through other blogs,
    but also through Russian mass media) as a diary of an Ossetin who
    fights in Tskhenvali with a submachine gun in his hands.

    The witnesses were giving information about what they have seen through
    blogs. Besides, many journalists who were working in the front made
    their own blogs which were enriched by many materials never to be
    published later on. Through the very blogs and forums were published a
    huge number of photographs which did not appear in the press because of
    their extreme brutality.

    Internet was used by the parties in quite non-ordinary ways. Thus, the
    Georgian party uploaded page markers on Georgia's satellite map in
    Google Maps service which only needed to be clicked to open for the
    users the interviews of refugees of the districts occupied by the
    Russian army.

    Foreign PR-consultants
    According in some publications, Georgian authorities made use of the
    services of lobbyists and PR makers, which were to ensure information
    in confrontation with Russia. Thus, in particular Russian mass media
    was spreading materials from Swiss journal Ð?ftonbladet about the
    company Aspect Consultingn working for Georgia against Kremlin, in
    particular about its representative Patrick Worm. The Company's
    headquarter is located in Brussels and belongs to James Hunt. According
    to the information released by the edition Aspect Consulting, the
    company has been working for President Sahakashvili since November of
    the previous year. Earlier the company had clients in the face of such
    translational giants as Exxon, Bridgestone and Akzo Nobel.

    For Sahakashvili's government were also working Scheunemann &
    Associates and Orion Strategies LLC headed by Randy Scheunemann, who
    was the official lobbyist of Georgia and, at the same time, the
    consultant of John McCain.

    Azerbaijani trace
    The Azerbaijani party made a good use of the present situation to work
    on complicating Armenian-Georgian relations. While Georgian
    infrastructures were being bombed by Russian, the Azerbaijani press BBC
    was periodically throwing in information about the aircrafts flying
    from 102nd base of Gyumri.

    After the active phase of military preparations have been over the
    Azerbaijani party enabled a `sleeping' site http://xronika.am
    registered half a year ago, it was not spoken about anywhere as an
    appropriate moment was waited for. On August 18 was published a false
    appeal of non-exist Organization `Patriots of Javakhq,' which was
    claiming for independence (Below you can read the appeal the
    orthography and punctuation of which has been preserved in the original
    Russian version unchanged):

    «Ð?Ñм Ñ?нÑ?кÐ&#x B8; е паÑ?ÑÐ&#xB 8;& #xD0;¾Ñ?Ñ? Ð'жав&#xD 0;& #xB0;Ñ...ка, позÐ&#xB4 ;&# xD1;авлÑ?&#x D0;µÑ? мноÐ&#xB3 ;&# xD0;¾Ñ?Ñ?ÑаÐ&# xB4;алÑ?н&#x D0;¾Ð³Ð¾ оÑ?еÑ?Ð&#x B8; нÑ?ко&#xD 0;& #xB3;о
    наÑо&#xD0 ;& #xB4;а Ñ? побÐ&#xB5 ;&# xD0;´Ð¾Ð¹ и Ñ? возÐ&#xB2 ;&# xD1;аÑ?ен&#x D0;¸ÐµÐ¼ Ñ?еÑÑи&#xD 1;? оÑии, коÑ?о&#xD 1;& #xD1;?й Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#x B5; Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? иÑ?по&#xD 0;& #xBA;он
    векÐ&#xBE ;& #xD0;² земÐ&#xBB ;&# xD1;`й Ð?лан&#xD 0;& #xBE;в. Ð'меÑ?Ñ?&# xD0 ;µ Ñ? Ñ?Ñ?им Ñ?обо&#xD 0;& #xBB;езнÑ?&# xD0;µÐ¼ Ñ?ем Ñ?емÑ?Ð&#x BC; , коÑ?о&#xD 1;& #xD1;?й во
    вÑем&#xD1 ;? войÐ&#xBD ;&# xD1;? оÑ? ÑÑ?к гÑÑ?зÐ&#xB 8;& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. . воеÐ&#xBD ;&# xD0;½Ñ?Ñ... агÑе&#xD1 ;?& #xD1;?оÑов бÑ?ло Ñ?биÑ?Ð&#x B0; 1600
    гÑаж&#xD0 ;& #xB4;ан.

    Ð'Ð&#xB5 ;Ñ?моÑ?Ñ&#x D1 ;? на =D
    1акиÐ&#xB 5; Ñ?Ñ?жÑ`л&# xD1 ;?е поÑ?л&#xD 0;& #xB5;дÑ?Ñ?вÐ& #xB8;е, (оÑ?ен&#xD 1; ? Ñ?оже&#xD 0;& #xBB;еем) оÑ?еÑ?Ð&#x B8; нÑ? Ñ?
    помÐ&#xBE ;& #xD1;?Ñ?Ñ? велÐ&#xB8 ;&# xD0;ºÐ¾Ð¹ РоÑ?Ñ?Ð&#x B8; и возÐ&#xB2 ;&# xD1;аÑ?ил&#x D0;¸ Ñ?вои Ñ?еÑÑи&#xD 1;? оÑии и надÐ&#xB5 ;&# xD0;µÐ¼Ñ?Ñ?, Ñ?Ñ?о оÑ?ен&#xD 1;?
    Ñ?коÑÐ&#xB E; Ñ? помÐ&#xBE ;&# xD1;?Ñ? ÑÑ?Ñ?Ñ?кÐ&# xB8 ;Ñ... бÑаÑ?Ñ?&#x D0; µÐ² мÑ? Ñ?оже пÑио&#xD0 ;&# xB1;ÑеÑ?Ñ`м Ñ?воб&#xD 0;& #xBE;дÑ?. Ð`Ñ?,
    Ñ?беж&#xD 0; ´ÐµÐ½Ñ?, Ñ?Ñ?о поÑ?л&#xD 0;& #xB5; Ð'аÑ?, наÑ?Ñ?Ð&#x B0; неÑ? наÑ? Ñ?еÑÑ`Ñ?. Со Ñ?Ñ?оÑо&#x D0; ½Ñ? гÑÑ?зÐ&#xB 8;& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. .
    Ñ?пеÑ?-Ð&#xB E;Ñ?ÑÑ?до&#x D 0;² в Ð'жав&#xD 0;& #xB0;Ñ...ке Ñ?же бÑ?ло аÑеÑ?Ñ?&#x D0; ¾Ð²Ð°Ð½&#xD1 ;? молÐ&#xBE ;&# xD0;´Ñ?е аÑмÑ?Ð&#xB D;& #xD1;?кие лидÐ&#xB5 ;&# xD1;Ñ?. С
    15-го иÑ?лÑ? Ñ?его годÐ&#xB0 ; в Ñеги&#xD0 ;&# xBE;не оÑ?Ñ?Ñ?е&# xD1 ;?Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#x B 5;Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? Ñ?D0еÑ?-оÐ&#x BF;еÑаÑ?Ð&#xB 8;Ñ?, Ñ?ел
    коÑ?о&#xD 1; ого Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#x B5; Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? ликÐ&#xB2 ;&# xD0;¸Ð´Ð¸ÑÐ&#xB E;ваÑ?Ñ? аÑмÑ?Ð&#xB D;& #xD1;?киÑ... оÑга&#xD0 ;&# xBD;изаÑ?&#x D0;¸Ð¸ и иÑ... лидÐ&#xB5 ;&# xD1;ов. Ð'Ñ?Ñ`
    Ñ?Ñ?о, наÑ?а&#xD 0;& #xBB;Ñ?Ñ? поÑ?л&#xD 0;& #xB5; вÑ?во&#xD 0;& #xB4;а ÑоÑ?Ñ?и&#x D0; ¹Ñ?киÑ... баз и в поÑ?л&#xD 0;& #xB5;днÑ?Ñ? вÑем&#xD1 ;?, пÑин&#xD1 ;?& #xD0;»
    оÑ?иÑ?Ð&#x B8 ;алÑ?н&#xD 1; ?й Ñ...аÑаÐ&# xBA ;Ñ?еÑ. Ð - а вамÐ&#xB8 ; Ñ?Ñ?оиÑ? велÐ&#xB8 ;&# xD0;ºÐ°Ñ? РоÑ?Ñ?Ð&#x B8; Ñ?, коÑ?о&#xD 1;& #xD1;?й заÑ?и&#xD 1;? аеÑ?
    Ð'аÑ? оÑ? гÑÑ?зÐ&#xB 8;& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. . агÑе&#xD1 ;?& #xD1;?оÑов и Ñ?ови&#xD 0;& #xBD;иÑ?Ñ?оÐ& #xB2;. Ð'ока&#xD 0;& #xB7;аÑ?ел&# xD1;?Ñ?Ñ?во Ñ?Ñ?омÑ?
    Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#x B5 ;Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? поÑ?л&#xD 0;& #xB5;днÑ?Ñ? Ñ?обÑ?Ñ?&# xD0 ;¸Ñ?». (Armenian patriots of Javakhq congratulate
    the long-suffering Ossetin nation upon their victory and winning back
    of the territories which have for centuries belonged to Alans. Along
    with it,20we condole you with loss of 1600 people by Georgian military
    aggressors. In spite of such heavy consequences (we are very sorry for
    it), the Ossetians won back their territories with the help of Great
    Russia, and we hope that with the help of our Russian brothers we will
    also win victory. We're sure that our turn is to come after you. Young
    Armenian leaders have also been arrested by Georgian special units in
    Javakhq. Since June 1 of the current year a special operation has been
    carried aiming at liquidating Armenian organizations and their leaders.
    All these have begun after the Russian bases have been withdrawn and
    have required official character recently. Great Russia is backing you
    and it will protect you from Georgian aggressors and chauvinists. It
    has come to be proved by the latest developments).

    In spite of the material's illiteracy and other faults it was
    republished by Azerbaijani mass media and spread on. As a matter of
    fact the Azerbaijani party made a good use of the moment to carry out
    information operations against Armenia. The Armenian party, as usual,
    took a defensive position.

    Other issues of author
    ISSUES OF ARMENIA'S CYBER SECURITY [10.07.2008]
    THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE AS ISRAEL INSTRUMENT OF PRESSURE
    [15.05.2008]
    KOSOVO AS THE INSTRUMENT OF GLOBAL INFLUENCE [11.04.2008]
    SOME INFORMATION ASPECTS OF THE ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA [12.02.2008]
    AZERBAIJAN DEVELOPING INFORMATION WAR [29.01.2008]
    Internet as a field of information war against Armenia [18.10.2006]
    Washington and Moscow desiring to change the world's missile balance
    [13.10.2006]
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