INFORMATION SUPPORT TO THE SOUTH OSSETIAN WAR

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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– хо Ð`оÑ?кв 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

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 –
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
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?ки е паÑ?Ñи& #xD0;¾Ñ?Ñ? ВжавÐ& #xB0;хка, позд&# xD1;авлÑ?&#x D0;µÑ? мног&# xD0;¾Ñ?Ñ?ÑаÐ&# xB4;алÑ?н&#x D0;¾Ð³Ð¾ оÑ?еÑ?и нÑ?коÐ& #xB3;о
наÑоÐ& #xB4;а Ñ? побе&# xD0;´Ð¾Ð¹ и Ñ? возв&# xD1;аÑ?ен&#x D0;¸ÐµÐ¼ Ñ?еÑÑиÑ? оÑии, коÑ?оÑ& #xD1;?й Ñ?влÑ?е Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? иÑ?поÐ& #xBA;он
веко& #xD0;² земл&# xD1;`й Ð?ланÐ& #xBE;в. ВмеÑ?Ñ?&#xD0 ;µ Ñ? Ñ?Ñ?им Ñ?обоÐ& #xBB;езнÑ?&# xD0;µÐ¼ Ñ?ем Ñ?емÑ?м , коÑ?оÑ& #xD1;?й во
вÑемÑ? войн&# xD1;? оÑ? ÑÑ?к гÑÑ?зи& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. . воен&# xD0;½Ñ?Ñ… агÑеÑ?& #xD1;?оÑов бÑ?ло Ñ?биÑ?а 1600
гÑажÐ& #xB4;ан.

Ð’Ð&#xB5 ;Ñ?моÑ?Ñ&#xD1 ;? на =D
1акиÐ&#xB 5; Ñ?Ñ?жÑ`л&#xD1 ;?е поÑ?лÐ& #xB5;дÑ?Ñ?вÐ& #xB8;е, (оÑ?ÐµÐ½Ñ ? Ñ?ожеÐ& #xBB;еем) оÑ?еÑ?и нÑ? Ñ?
помо& #xD1;?Ñ?Ñ? вели&# xD0;ºÐ¾Ð¹ РоÑ?Ñ?и и возв&# xD1;аÑ?ил&#x D0;¸ Ñ?вои Ñ?еÑÑиÑ? оÑии и наде&# xD0;µÐ¼Ñ?Ñ?, Ñ?Ñ?о оÑ?енÑ?
Ñ?коÑо Ñ? помо&# xD1;?Ñ? ÑÑ?Ñ?Ñ?кÐ&#xB8 ;Ñ… бÑаÑ?Ñ?Ð µÐ² мÑ? Ñ?оже пÑиоÐ&# xB1;ÑеÑ?Ñ`м Ñ?вобÐ& #xBE;дÑ?. Ð`Ñ?,
Ñ?бежР´ÐµÐ½Ñ?, Ñ?Ñ?о поÑ?лÐ& #xB5; ВаÑ?, наÑ?Ñ?а неÑ? наÑ? Ñ?еÑÑ`Ñ?. Со Ñ?Ñ?оÑоР½Ñ? гÑÑ?зи& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. .
Ñ?пеÑ?-Ð&#xB E;Ñ?ÑÑ?до&#xD 0;² в ВжавÐ& #xB0;хке Ñ?же бÑ?ло аÑеÑ?Ñ?Ð ¾Ð²Ð°Ð½Ñ? моло&# xD0;´Ñ?е аÑмÑ?н& #xD1;?кие лиде&# xD1;Ñ?. С
15-го иÑ?лÑ? Ñ?его года в ÑегиÐ&# xBE;не оÑ?Ñ?Ñ?е&#xD1 ;?Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#xB 5;Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? Ñ?D0еÑ?-оÐ&#x BF;еÑаÑ?Ð&#xB 8;Ñ?, Ñ?ел
коÑ?Ð¾Ñ Ð¾Ð³Ð¾ Ñ?влÑ?е Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? ликв&# xD0;¸Ð´Ð¸ÑÐ&#xB E;ваÑ?Ñ? аÑмÑ?н& #xD1;?ких оÑгаÐ&# xBD;изаÑ?&#x D0;¸Ð¸ и их лиде&# xD1;ов. Ð’Ñ?Ñ`
Ñ?Ñ?о, наÑ?аÐ& #xBB;Ñ?Ñ? поÑ?лÐ& #xB5; вÑ?воÐ& #xB4;а ÑоÑ?Ñ?иР¹Ñ?ких баз и в поÑ?лÐ& #xB5;днÑ?Ñ? вÑемÑ?, пÑинÑ?& #xD0;»
оÑ?иÑ?Ð&#xB8 ;алÑ?Ð½Ñ ?й хаÑаÐ&#xBA ;Ñ?еÑ. Ð – а вами Ñ?Ñ?оиÑ? вели&# xD0;ºÐ°Ñ? РоÑ?Ñ?и Ñ?, коÑ?оÑ& #xD1;?й заÑ?иÑ? аеÑ?
ВаÑ? оÑ? гÑÑ?зи& #xD0;½Ñ?киÑ.. . агÑеÑ?& #xD1;?оÑов и Ñ?овиÐ& #xBD;иÑ?Ñ?оÐ& #xB2;. ВокаÐ& #xB7;аÑ?ел&# xD1;?Ñ?Ñ?во Ñ?Ñ?омÑ?
Ñ?влÑ?Ð&#xB5 ;Ñ?Ñ?Ñ? поÑ?лÐ& #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]