The evolution of war as seen in Ukraine

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/02/2025 (207 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three years ago today, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russian Armed Forces invaded Ukraine under the guise of a “special military operation,” resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the eruption of a full-scale war (Guardian, Deutsche Welle, CNBC).

The Russo-Ukrainian War can perhaps be best characterized by the prevalence of both hybrid warfare and more conventional warfare. As reported in Reuters and NPR, the use of drones in Ukraine has led to a shift in traditional warfare, and the practice of disinformation campaigns has added a new dimension to this conflict and potentially future ones.

Drones come in multiple shapes and sizes and are primarily used for reconnaissance, bomb dropping, or self-destructing attacks. According to the Ukrainian former minister of strategic industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, the country was planning to produce over a million first-person-view (FPV) drones in 2024 (Reuters).

But why is there such a high demand for these consumer-available drones from both Ukraine and Russia? As reported by Reuters, drones are very inexpensive at prices as low as US$500, and they are extremely effective. A cheap drone, with a small warhead tied to it, is capable of destroying tanks worth millions of dollars. Since these drones are so potent, they force tanks to move several kilometres back from the front lines. Further, drone operators situate themselves kilometres away, making the use of drones crucial in a conflict where Russians greatly outnumber Ukrainians (Reuters). In addition, because FPV drones are guided by an operator, in some cases even AI, they are extremely accurate and are much more versatile than conventional artillery. Lastly, much more expensive surveillance drones have also proven to be vital in the war, with long-range drones aiding in identifying Russian armaments and vehicles (Reuters).

The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict has entered a new dimension: the internet. It is inevitable that following the emergence of the information age, an information war would arise. Russian disinformation campaigns have had an impact on the Russian war effort and the conflict in general. There are multiple ways through which Russia spreads disinformation, specifically to European and NATO countries. As reported by the BBC, Russia operates hundreds of bot farms on social media platforms such as TikTok, which disseminate pro-Russian propaganda and lies through millions of social media accounts. Examples of this as reported by NPR, include fabricated deepfake AI videos of Ukrainian government officials stating they are surrendering to Russia as well as the creation of conspiracy theories (NPR).

Furthermore, many malicious Russian websites impersonate legitimate news sites and official government pages. One contributor to the expansion of pro-Russia propaganda is western influencers who have been paid by the Russian state media to publish videos attempting to undermine Ukraine and promote Russia (NPR).

This expanding weaponization of disinformation is as much of a threat to Ukraine as actual conventional or physical attacks. If enough people in the West fall victim to disinformation, then they are likely to vote against aiding Ukraine, which will result in the country possessing less equipment, rendering them at an even greater disadvantage. This is an equivalent result to an actual military assault on Ukraine’s resources, which is why disinformation networks like these are one of the most critical threats to democracy and Kyiv’s success.

So how can we as individuals combat and avoid falling victim to disinformation? The most obvious way is to check for reputable sources about the event in question or investigate the source who is reporting the information. Sometimes these campaigns will use old photos or videos and attribute them to a fabricated event. If you are unsure about the authenticity of the photo or video, then you should reverse image search it to see its origin. Oftentimes Russian bots will have slight English mistranslations or use untranslatable Russian expressions or phrases; if you see patterns like these, you should investigate the account. To reiterate, it is exceedingly important to verify one’s sources and read multiple sources with different biases to get the full picture, especially during this information war.

One thing that cannot be overstated, especially in this time of crisis, is the resilience of the Ukrainian refugees and people. According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are 6.8 million global Ukrainian refugees, many in Canada. As Canadians, it is imperative to welcome all refugees with kindness and empathy. Recent peace talks in Saudi Arabia have the potential to change the course of the conflict and Ukraine’s future, but as of the time of this writing their potential effects are not entirely clear. Once again, when reading about current events like these, it is of utmost importance to verify one’s sources and analyze multiple perspectives regarding the subject; even the most mainstream sources might not cover a relevant story, either by accident or because of a subconscious ideological bias.

» C. Shaw is a grade 11 student at École secondaire Neelin High School