Attributing Russian Information Influence Operations: Testing the Information Influence Attribution Framework with real-world case studies
By: James Pamment Ben Heap Victoria Smith Sofiia Dikhtiarenko for NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
“This report examines Russian Information Influence Operations targeting audiences in Ukraine and neighbouring regions, including Ukrainian civilians and defence forces, civilians in nearby states, and European pro-Kremlin groups. The analysis draws primarily on data from the Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communications (CSC), complemented by recent government and civil society reporting.
The aim is to test and refine the Information Influence Attribution Framework (IIAF) by applying it to real-world Russian campaigns, in a context where EU sanctions on Russian state media, the Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) policy framework, and the Digital Services Act (DSA) are raising evidential standards for attribution. As Information Influence Operations increasingly involve both governmental and civil-society actors, the report focuses on clarifying practical evidential thresholds and confidence levels that can withstand prospective legal and regulatory scrutiny.”
