Polish Researcher Warns of Russia’s Relentless Disinformation Campaign Targeting Public Opinion

Russia’s information warfare represents a new front in its geopolitical strategy, according to political scientist Wojciech Kotowicz from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, who warns that Moscow now treats information “as a weapon with strategic range.”

This approach has been developed as Russia acknowledges NATO’s military and economic advantages, pushing the Kremlin to find alternative battlefields where it can compete more effectively against Western powers.

“Today’s conflict between Russia and the West is taking place primarily in the informational and cognitive space,” Kotowicz explained in recent statements following extensive research into Russian disinformation campaigns. “This is a war that does not require tanks or airplanes. To achieve strategic aims, a smartphone, a social media account and a well-constructed narrative are enough.”

The political scientist describes these developments as evidence of a “new Cold War” – one that relies less on conventional military hardware and more on narrative control and perception management. This shift toward information warfare reflects Russia’s adaptation to 21st-century geopolitical realities, where direct military confrontation with NATO would be disadvantageous.

Kotowicz’s insights stem from a comprehensive research project conducted last year by the university’s Institute of Political Science. The study examined how Russian disinformation shapes public opinion in Eastern Europe, with particular focus on Moldova and Georgia, and explored potential countermeasures that governments and civil society organizations might implement.

During fieldwork in 2025, researchers witnessed firsthand the impact of Russian operations. Kotowicz recounted interviews in Moldova’s capital, Chișinău, where journalists described dramatic shifts in voter attitudes. Older citizens who had long supported European integration suddenly began embracing anti-EU narratives claiming that the European Union threatened traditional values and sought to seize land.

“This change did not happen by accident,” Kotowicz emphasized. It followed coordinated campaigns distributed through social media, Russian-language television, and seemingly independent commentators who were actually operating within networks financed from Moscow.

The stakes for countries like Poland are particularly high, according to the researcher. He argues that Warsaw’s information security is inextricably linked to the stability of its eastern partners.

“If we allow disinformation to triumph in Moldova, Poland will become the next, direct target of even more aggressive information campaigns,” Kotowicz warned, suggesting that successful Russian influence operations in neighboring states could quickly pivot toward Poland itself.

The Moldovan referendum on European integration demonstrated the potency of these tactics. While the pro-European position ultimately prevailed, it did so by a surprisingly narrow margin after what Kotowicz described as “an unprecedented wave of disinformation and vote-buying.” Experts consulted during the research believed that support for European integration would have been significantly higher without Russian interference.

Social media platforms have emerged as particularly powerful vectors for these influence operations. Kotowicz specifically identified Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok as examples, noting that their algorithms inadvertently amplify divisive content that generates strong emotional responses.

“The battlefield becomes our perception of reality, our beliefs, our trust in democratic institutions,” he explained. Russia’s strategic objective appears to be eroding trust in democratic systems and Western alliances – outcomes that serve Moscow’s interests without requiring territorial occupation.

Looking ahead, Kotowicz warns that countries should expect Russian disinformation to intensify and evolve, employing increasingly sophisticated technologies while adapting to defensive measures. He has already identified a new wave of Russian messaging circulating throughout Europe in 2026, focusing on energy concerns and promoting narratives that sanctions harm European economies more than Russia itself.

These claims suggest European leaders are deliberately impoverishing their societies – a narrative designed to stoke internal divisions within Western democracies and undermine support for continued pressure on Moscow.

As this information war continues to evolve, Kotowicz’s research underscores the urgent need for coordinated responses from European governments, media literacy initiatives, and social media platforms to identify and counter these sophisticated influence operations.