Information: Donovia-West
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Information Overview
Information, not naked aggression, is the decisive tool of state power.” -Minister of Defense message to military cadetsDonovia maintains a large information environment, with its Internet industries counted among the world’s most active. However, censorship, while unofficial, is pervasive regarding corruption and other government malfeasance. Donovian information warfare (INFOWAR) capability is highly developed and world-leading in a number of critical areas. Donovian leaders consider information to be the critical factor of state power and engage in continuous international competition in the information domain executed by both state and non-state actors.
Information warfare is a key component of Donovia’s contemporary way of war. It encompasses all the uses of information and disinformation, information support operations, cyberspace operations, electronic warfare, deception at every level, psychological operations, public affairs, and strategic communications. The Donovian Ministry of Defense defines information warfare as “the ability to undermine political, economic, and social systems; carry out mass psychological campaigns against the population of a state in order to destabilize the society and government; and force a state to make decisions in the interest of their opponents.”
The Donovian government has the ability to influence or control many mass media platforms. Domestically, leaders have sought to eliminate sources of information that deviate from the official line. Donovian officials suspect foreign entities because Donovia’s own media and many Donovian nongovernmental organizations are tools of the state. Even in the West, many popular television and radio stations are agents of Donovian influence. Numerous US media outlets, especially online, cite or copy Donovian-generated stories. Online, platform control is less important as social media can be influenced by bots and control of mainstream users.
Donovia diplomatic and military literature has shown they recognize global information control as a danger to the country. Recently, the Donovia legislature passed a law requiring all digital data on Donovian citizens be stored inside its borders. More recently, the President has stated Donovia is fully capable of being isolated from the global Internet, which he sees as a CIA plot. Military personnel are banned form most use of personal social media accounts.
Donovia claims the Internet is a foreign plot, and in response, has mastered the use of the global network as a force-projection platform and a space for cognitive maneuver. By weaponizing information and employing information operations as a decisive tool of state power, Donovia is now pressing its offensive advantages in the information domain to nullify its relative weaknesses in other domains. Donovia’s leaders are working to isolate Donovian societies from supposed Western influence while expanding their own influence abroad. This carries risk in that aggressive efforts to control the information domain domestically can cause blowback if it is not comprehensive.
Satellite Telecommunications
As Donovia is the largest, most dominate country in the region, it possesses a wide range of satellite capabilities. Most are suited for dual-use by the Donovian military. Currently, Donovia operates four commercial telecommunications satellites utilizing Ku-band transponders in a geostationary orbit. All satellites are powered by solar array panels. These commercial satellites may be used to support military operations when necessary. Additionally, the Donovian military operates two communication satellites using Ku- and C-band transponders. The satellites are in a geostationary orbit powered by solar array antennae. The Donovian government also leases Ku, L, and S bandwidth from commercial satellite companies, which support government and military operations when necessary.
Known Western Donovia satellite systems:
- Molniya constellation. Television satellites in elliptical orbits known as Molniya orbits since the 1960s.
- Volna. Provides communications between ships and aircraft.
- Potok (Geyser). Potok transmits documents and digital data between ground stations, primarily for the government and military.
Donovia has an established history in the development and use of navigation satellite systems. Currently, Donovia operates its own navigation satellite systems using L-band transponders. The combined systems create a network of navigation services and provide regional coverage of Western Donovia and the Baltic Sea region. When necessary, Donovian military units purchase off-the-shelf commercial GPS receivers for navigation support.
Public Communications Media
Donovia’s public communications sector is dominated by TV, though the Internet is making considerable inroads into this area, especially among more urban, young, and educated populations. Television, radio, and print media are developed and mature, though completely beholden to political and economic elites and only in rare cases willing to publish information derogatory to the government. The Internet is the freest of spaces, and social media is the preferred outlet for reporting of uncensored news, along with interpersonal communication.
Internet
The Donovian Internet has blossomed in economic and social terms. Economically, the Internet is of growing importance in Donovia, and Donovian Internet security providers are among the world’s best. Perhaps not coincidentally, Donovia is a world leader in malware, virus protection, and security circumvention tools. 57% of citizens in Western Donovia access the Internet monthly, with this number skewed upward in urban areas, and downward in rural areas and the northern tier of the country. The Donovian government is heavily involved in the Internet in Donovia, engaging in censorship of topics sensitive to its interests. It does this through the mobilization of large numbers of loyalists engaging in a wide range of harassment tactics, likely through the direct but hidden sponsorship of the Donovian security services.
Television
Television in Donovia is the most mature and pervasive media, and is centralized under either the government or corporate concerns allied directly with the UD elite. 95% of all Donovians have access to a television. Twelve channels broadcast nationally, and a number of private channels are broadcast either over the air or via satellite. These private entities are often oriented to specific content, like children’s, sports, or cultural programming.
Donovian expatriates and emigrants throughout the world use Donovian television extensively. This is Donovia’s main propaganda tool and the primary source of information in most post-Warsaw Pact states. The Western Donovia military and political leaders are working to isolate Donovian societies from supposed Western influence while expanding their own power abroad. Donovian television dominates the Baltic States and GBCC countries.
Radio
Donovia maintains a number of public and private radio broadcasters. Broadcasting is done over AM, FM, and high frequency (HF) bands, though the latter is radically decreasing in importance as the Internet penetrates into more rural areas. The Donovian government also maintains a foreign broadcast presence throughout the region that, while ostensibly aimed at Donovian citizens residing in other countries, includes programming in other regional languages. These broadcasts are generally heavily slanted propaganda.
Print Media
The Donovian print media has exploded and is less robustly controlled than Donovian TV, but more so than the Internet. The media does operate within bounds of “soft censorship,” avoiding topics that are too sensitive for the government to ignore, especially regarding corruption or other malfeasance of high officials. However, reporting on general government missteps, especially those of the bureaucracy or military, is allowed. Donovia has a robust scientific and engineering print establishment as well.
Telephone
Donovian telephone services are increasingly robust, depending primarily on satellite for long-haul transmission and integrating cellular services at an increasing rate. Every major city maintains a significant local phone capability by regional standards. Cellular services are generally available and relatively cheap. In the major areas, 4G coverage is available, while 3G or GSM is the standard for the rest of the country. Coverage areas are maintained within most major cities and along most major routes of travel.
Postal/Courier
Donovian postal and courier systems are generally well-established, reliable, and capable of moving significant amounts of freight throughout the nation. Along with the Donovian national postal system, international freight providers and local freight forwarders are well entrenched in the nation. Donovia is the home to many specialty freight movement providers, like aircraft heavy lift.
Word of Mouth
Donovian word-of-mouth communication is among the least important modes, similar to other advanced nations. A combination of the rise of the Internet, mature TV and radio, and widely available print media makes more traditional forms of communication increasingly obsolete. As with much of the Caucasus, the rise of text messaging first among youth, and increasingly among much of the rest of the population, is changing the dynamics of personal interaction. Social media is becoming the preferred means of communication, not just for personal use but for political opposition as well.
Information Control
Donovian information control is unique and pervasive. However, most mass media that is not government-controlled—either directly or through government-linked owners—is monitored and ultimately controlled by a variety of government and government-allied and -sponsored entities. This influence results in restricted access to information about issues deemed sensitive, such as coverage of opposition political parties and movements. Unsolved murders and beatings of journalists have caused significant international concern and increased the reluctance of journalists to cover controversial subjects. Donovian authorities and broadcasters are also aware of the power of patriotic messages, and will often dress up unpalatable news or announcements in patriotic/historical boilerplate.
Donovian domestic information control is a continuous activity as the country is always in a declared or undeclared war. So, a hybrid force of state and coerced or co-opted nonstate actors execute the internal information campaign. Through the actions of expelling foreign media and nongovernmental organizations, and maintaining state ownership of media platforms outside of Donovia, the UD elites maintain information control. This gives them the capability to reach key domestic and foreign audiences. No less important than this is the manipulation of the Donovian diaspora, individuals with latent or actual Donovian identities, which the party pursues to produce support for Donovia’s carefully scripted narratives.
INFOWAR
Donovia has weaponized the Internet. By utilizing it as a direct conduit to individual Western citizens, Donovia has created an extremely efficient asymmetric weapon. Donovia did not have to spend lavishly, develop new technologies, fund infrastructure, or procure new platforms to attack these targets: commercial industry, advertising, and people (the targets) provided it themselves.
Donovia’s INFOWAR capability is highly developed, can be used to attack a US unit throughout the range of operations, and presents a credible peer-level threat. As the Donovian conventional and nuclear capability receded after the Four Traitors incident, Donovian military theorists looked to INFOWAR to level the conventional disparity between itself and the West and provide a means of national deterrence as an alternative to nuclear weapons. This includes the sophisticated use of information attack, computer warfare, and anti-satellite capabilities. (For additional information, see TC 7-100.2, Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 7, Information Warfare; TC 7-100.3, Irregular Opposing Forces, Appendix A, Information Warfare; and the Donovian Information variable).
Donovia is constantly increasing the levels of technology used in its communications, automation, reconnaissance, and target acquisition systems through information warfare brigades. In order to ensure the successful use of information technologies and to deny the enemy the advantage afforded by such systems, Donovia has continued to refine its doctrine and capabilities for INFOWAR. (For additional information, see TC 7-100.2, Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 7, Information Warfare.)
In addition to Donovian military forces information brigades, nongovernment entities are also involved in INFOWAR. The Internet Research Agency is an infamous troll farm that produces manipulative social media content. There are groups of supportive or coerced hackers who conduct INFOWAR actions in coordination with the Donovian government. The involvement of nonstate actors has increased the flexibility and deniability of Donovian INFOWAR.
Criminal groups such as the Saints of Cognitio (SoC) are known to operate a counter-INFOWAR campaign against the Donovian government. SoC members see themselves as self-appointed keepers of truth and knowledge and feel that Donovia deliberately deceives not only its enemies, but also its citizens.
Electronic Warfare
Donovia maintains an extensive electronic warfare (EW) capability, especially in comparison with regional opponents. While Donovian capabilities are not up to those of Western countries, they are well integrated into the Donovian force structure and are a key enabler for combat forces. Donovia maintains a wide variety of sensors and jammers on ground, air, and naval platforms. The largest Donovian EW weakness is a shortage of trained operators for its EW capacity.
Computer Attack
Donovia sustains one of the three most advanced computer attack (CA) capabilities in the world. Donovian CA is a core capability of its intelligence apparatus, and is backed by a significant civilian research and development (R&D) effort. Thus the Donovians maintain the ability to conduct CA along a spectrum of ability ranging from small, deniable probes to massive, overwhelming onslaught. Donovian CA actors are often supple and subtle, and will attempt to use other INFOWAR capability such as deception and protection to enable computer attack.
Information Attack
Donovian capability for information attack (IA) has increased over the past 10 years to the point where, along with much of Donovian cyber capability, it ranks globally as one of the top three actors. The Donovians are expert at integrating this capability with other INFOWAR elements, and will rely on IA in conflict against enemies with technological overmatch. Indeed, recent Donovian INFOWAR theory states that IA is the core of any attack, from the tactical to the strategic.
One of the techniques refined by the Donovians is the use of some of the Internet’s most highly trafficked websites. These sites promote content based on users’ ratings. Donovian operatives are successful at inserting disinformation into these sites, which in turn amplify the story and it is spread unwittingly by legitimate users.
Deception
“Lies spread faster than truth. And when they are on the Internet, they become truth.” -Donovian computational propaganda analyst
Donovian deception operations are excellent, although not the absolute cutting-edge quality of other Donovian INFOWAR capabilities. While deception is a hallmark of Donovian doctrine, at the tactical level the Donovians will often default to either ignoring their deception plan or using a relatively simple one. Donovians also have a robust manufacturing capability to make high-fidelity decoys and will make great attempts when deployed out of their garrisons to avoid or confuse enemy collection assets.
UD leadership develops narratives with an emotional appeal that can be transmitted through traditional media and online social networks. They rely on individuals they do not command to spread the narrative. Although Donovian actors employ fake social media accounts to plant stories, about 45% of Twitter activity within Donovia originates with bots. This approach has limited direct reach outside Donovia except for Donovian expiates and emigrants. To reach the international audience, Donovia manipulates individuals into propagating the state’s narrative using novel, emotionally appealing stories, which are often completely false.
Donovia does not lead with a fact based narrative because novel stories spread more quickly on social media. When artfully written, these stories easily make the jump from the bubble of trolls and bots into mainstream media around the world. Conversely, the more believable and truthful stories in the Western press spread less rapidly and are at a significant disadvantage in the competition to be novel, trending, and viral.
Beyond spreading flagrant lies, Donovian deception operations seek to enhance relativism and subvert the very idea of an objective, impartial, and nonpartisan truth, which leads audiences to approach every truth-claim with the fundamental belief that nothing is certain. Relativism maximizes Donovian influence because relativistic populations are more vulnerable to emotional manipulation and control. Relativism undermines the efforts and credibility of U.S. and NATO institutions and leaders. These disruptions delay international responses top Donovian “gray zone” actions, drawing out the time it takes for other states to recognize and develop a political consensus about retaliatory actions.
Another strategy for subverting reality, disseminating multiple contradictory narratives, creates information fatigue in which populations are overwhelmed with information and unable to determine what information is correct, or more dangerously, no longer care. Donovia recognizes that subversion cannot create political divisions, but can exploit existing divisions within a population.
Physical Destruction
Traditional Donovian tactics maintain the importance of destroying enemy INFOWAR capability to give friendly Donovian elements maximum freedom of maneuver and protection from enemy targeting. Donovian deep-strike elements such as short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, strike aircraft, and special-purpose forces (SPF) will aggressively target enemy INFOWAR assets and capabilities. Donovian doctrine stresses the eventual destruction of enemy INFOWAR assets after their neutralization by non-strike means. Among these assets is a growing anti-satellite (ASAT) capability. This ASAT effort includes mastery of the entire kill chain, with a variety of ground-based radar and visual sensors cueing air-launched missiles carried by specially equipped interceptor aircraft. It is likely that ASAT efforts would attempt to neutralize enemy space-based surveillance and communications efforts early in any potential conflict.
Protection and Security Measures
Donovian protection and security measures (PSM) are good, though not as advanced as the best US, NATO, or Israeli capability. Donovian PSM focus on the destruction of enemy systems, either through physical destruction or corruption of their information systems. Thus, Donovian doctrine stresses that PSM should not be so robust as to prevent other sensors and INFOWAR systems from operating; rather, such measures should allow a degree of protection before the offense is taken.
Perception Management
Donovian leaders go to great lengths to coordinate efforts to project influence using information and disinformation. The logic of the INFOWAR operations guides their economic, diplomatic, and military efforts. Whereas other states information efforts are generally guided by facts, Donovian foreign policy makers create “facts” to be broadcast to targeted audiences in order to achieve strategic results. Perception themes are crafted based on the target audience in a given country.
Donovian strategic doctrine places exceptional value on using information to manipulate their enemies and steer allies. Information is often referred to as a “sharp power” influence that is not about attraction and persuasion, but rather distraction and manipulation. This idea causes civilian and military leaders to use all means available to shape the information environment and manipulate what an opponent thinks to force him to make a desirable decision. This includes military deception at all levels and subversion. In a recent military publication, the Western Donovia Military Commander wrote: “The systematic broadcasting of psychologically and ideologically-biased materials of a provocative nature, mixing partially truthful and false items of information…..can result in a mass psychosis, despair, and feelings of doom and undermine trust in the government, and force a destabilization of the country at which we direct such actions.”
So strong is this belief that perceptions can be managed, that many Donovians blame the myth of “capitalist plenty” and the “American Dream” for causing mass discontent throughout the world. These myths led to the regime changes in the Arab Spring, Kosovo, Iraq, Libya, and the “color revolutions” in Georgia, Pirtuni, and Kyrgyzstan. The U.S. is squarely blamed for these attempts at regime change and destabilizing multiple regions through perception management.
Intelligence
Donovia possesses the second- or third-largest intelligence complex in the world. The Donovians have a foreign intelligence service, the Organization of External Information; a domestic intelligence service, known as the Federal Protective Service; and a military intelligence wing, the General Service Organization. All three organizations fall under the Intelligence Directorate (subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior), are very involved in operations globally, and are highly capable. Much of that capability is focused on the Caucasus region, as Donovian security challenges with terrorism, economic rivalry, and local competitors to Donovian influence are all highly active in the area. Donovians perceive the other countries in the Caucasus region as the “near abroad” and believe that they have a unique and dominant historical role in the area.
Human Intelligence
Donovian human intelligence (HUMINT) capabilities are among the best in the world. Considering the high level of interest that the Baltic Sea region maintains in Donovian defense and diplomatic circles, it is reasonable to assess high activity of Donovian HUMINT collection in the area. Donovian HUMINT is aided by high levels of Donovian economic, governmental, and military activity in the area. Additionally, Donovian relationships dating back decades exist with many locally influential political, economic, military, and social actors. The Donovian HUMINT services are aggressive and able, in exploiting these relationships and other enablers, to effectively service HUMINT targets.
Open Source Intelligence
Open source intelligence (OSINT) efforts within Donovia generally focus on Western rivals as opposed to other Caucasus nations. Donovian intelligence likely uses OSINT for strategic analysis efforts, versus those at operational or tactical levels.
Signals Intelligence
Donovian signals intelligence (SIGINT) assets include ground, ship/sub, aircraft, and satellite collection capability. Donovian SIGINT is robust and well-connected to shooter platforms, often providing the early warning and target discrimination capability for hard-kill capable platforms. Donovian collection likely uses the poor discipline and obsolete equipment of regional targets to gain significant insight into regional actors’ intentions and capabilities. Donovia also maintains SIGINT collection stations around the world.
Imagery Intelligence
Donovian imagery intelligence (IMINT) collection capability is second only to the US. Donovia maintains a fleet of air-breathing manned and unmanned aerial platforms for tactical collection, and an overhead space collection capability. Donovia maintains multiple dedicated military imaging satellites with electro-optical (EO) capabilities and synthetic aperture radar. Its newest EO collector is panchromatic capable, with a 13-inch resolution at nadir. In addition, Donovia has access to multiple commercial imaging capabilities through lease agreements with foreign countries.
Measurement and Signatures Intelligence
Donovia maintains a large and capable measurement and signatures intelligence (MASINT) collection program. Backed by a highly capable national scientific intelligence apparatus, Donovian MASINT is probably the most capable of any non-Western nation in the world. MASINT operations typically support all other intelligence collection efforts, and can provide direct support to combat operations through space-based collectors such as infrared (IR) imagers.