ISW researcher: West still misunderstands Russia's cognitive warfare
At NATO StratCom conference in Riga, an expert highlighted Western misperceptions of Russia's cognitive war, including the narrative of inevitable victory.
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Speaking at the "Riga StratCom Dialogue 2026" conference organized by NATO's Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, a researcher from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) explained that the West still holds misconceptions about Russia's cognitive warfare.
One of the most powerful elements of Russian propaganda in 2025 was the message that Russia would inevitably win the war. After achieving minor battlefield successes, Moscow significantly exaggerated them in both media and diplomatic channels, creating the impression that Ukraine's defeat was only a matter of time.
The goal of this disinformation is to pressure Ukraine into conceding prematurely. The expert also stressed that special attention should be paid to Russia's attempts to justify possible Baltic involvement in the war.
