The Dark Art of Deception: Disinformation in Wartime

“Who is winning the war in Ukraine depends on who is doing the talking,” begins a piece by Marwan Bishara, a senior political analyst at Al Jazeera. This perfectly captures the essence of the information war. The United States presents an optimistic view of Ukraine’s success, attributing it to the country’s resiliency and Western backing, while Russia claims victory as expected. Compared to autocratic Russia, the West seems more trustworthy at first look, with its emphasis on open and independent investigation. Yet, “all warfare is based on deception,” as Sun Tzu, a military strategist from ancient China, once said. Seemingly caught in a web of psychological warfare, both camps are spreading their own narrative while silencing other opinions. Is that the goal? To maintain appearances of success, to rationalize sacrifices, and to garner public support.