Russian web brigades: Difference between revisions

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	According to some ]n news publications, '''Web brigades''' ({{lang-ru\|Веб-бригады}})<ref name="Polyanskaya"/> are alleged state-sponsored ] teams that conduct ] ]. Such teams are allegedly affiliated with state propaganda departments, military forces. They are said to disseminate ] and prevent free discussions of undesirable subjects in ]s and ] by using ], ] and other ] methods against ]s or other Internet users.<ref name="Bagryansky"> {{ru icon}} by ] and Vladimur Bagryansky, publication of the Russian Center for Extreme Journalism </ref>		According to some ]n news publications, '''Web brigades''' ({{lang-ru\|Веб-бригады}})<ref name="Polyanskaya"/> are alleged state-sponsored ] teams that conduct ] ]. Such teams are allegedly affiliated with state propaganda departments, military forces. They are said to disseminate ] and prevent free discussions of undesirable subjects in ]s and ] by using ], ] and other ] methods against ]s or other Internet users.<ref name="Bagryansky"> {{ru icon}} by ] and Vladimur Bagryansky, publication of the Russian Center for Extreme Journalism </ref>

	Internet brigades were described by journalist ] in 2003.<ref name="Polyanskaya"/> According to intelligence expert Andrei Soldatov, operators include ] and ]. ~~There has been reports that Russian Internet brigades have extended operations to websites of foreign countries.<ref name="Tygodnik"/>{{failed verification}}~~		Internet brigades were described by journalist ] in 2003.<ref name="Polyanskaya"/> According to intelligence expert Andrei Soldatov, operators include ] and ].

	==Internet brigades in Russia==		==Internet brigades in Russia==

Revision as of 04:38, 15 September 2008

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According to some Russian news publications, Web brigades (Template:Lang-ru) are alleged state-sponsored information warfare teams that conduct psychological operations on-line. Such teams are allegedly affiliated with state propaganda departments, military forces. They are said to disseminate disinformation and prevent free discussions of undesirable subjects in political blogs and Internet forums by using cyberstalking, cyber-bullying and other psychological warfare methods against political bloggers or other Internet users.

Internet brigades were described by journalist Anna Polyanskaya in 2003. According to intelligence expert Andrei Soldatov, operators include GRU and FSB.

Internet brigades in Russia

First publication

This alleged phenomenon in RuNet was described in 2003 by journalist Anna Polyanskaya (a former assistant to assassinated Russian politician Galina Starovoitova), historian Andrey Krivov and political activist Ivan Lomako.

They claimed the appearance of organized and fairly professional "brigades", composed of ideologically and methodologically identical personalities, who were working in practically every popular liberal and pro-democracy Internet forums and Internet newspapers of RuNet.

One of their observations was that prior to 1998–1999 about 70% of audience of Russian Internet were people of liberal views, composed of Russian middle class and people in emigration; but already in 2003 according to authors there were about 60-80% of "totalitarian" posts at Russian forums.

They ascribe the phenomenon to activity of Internet teams which allegedly appeared in 1999 and were organized by FSB.

Criticism of the original publication

A public discussion began in the Internet forum of the "Russian Journal", just a few days after the first publication by Polyanskaya and others, and it lasted for two months. Alexander Usupovski, head of the analytical department of the Federation Council of Russia (Russian Parliament) claimed Web brigades are conspiracy theory in his article published in "Russian Journal".. Yusupovskiy's points included:

He supposed, that officeers of GRU or FSB have more topical problems, than "comparing virtual penises" with liberals and emigrants.
There is difference between "dislike of hegemonic policy of the United States" at Russian forums and "quite friendly attitude towards usual Americans". Aggression and xenophobia doesn't characterize one side but is a common place of polemics, well met not only among Russian patriots, but also Russian emigrants from US, Israel, or other countries.
Change of attitude of virtual masses in 1998-1999 could be caused by Russian financial collapse which "crowned liberal decade", rather than "mysterious bad guys".
Authors exclude from their interpretation of events all other hypotheses, such as internet activity of a group of some "skinheads", nazbols or simply unliberal students; or hackers able to get IP addresses of their opponents.
According to Yusupovskiy, authors treat "independence of public opinion" in spirit of irreconcilable antagonism with "positive image of Russia".

Usupovski concluded: "We would never make our country's military organizations and security services work under the rule of law and legal control, if won't learn to recognize rationally and objectively their necessity and usefulness for the country, state, society and citizens. Sweeping defamation and intentional discreditation with the help of "arguments", which are obviously false, only contribute to the extrusion of security services outside of rule of law and instigates them to chaos".

Support of the original publication

The findings of Polyanskaya and her colleagues have been supported by writer Grigory Svirsky and psychologist Vladimir Bagryansky. They claimed that "the Internet brigade led by Alexander Usupovski is probably the most incompetent team of Russian state security services in RuNet". Other bloggers also claimed that Usupovsky and his supporters are the governmental "Internet brigade", "FSB agents", and "bastards of SMERSH". A discussion was also conducted on the Internet forum of Moscow News . Usupovsky supporters suggested to sue Ivan Lomko for libels and defamation and issued various threats.

Public perception

In 2007 sociological analysis of big groups in Russian society published at Russian resource RIO-Center, it's mentioned that idea of existence of web-brigades is a widespread point of view in RuNet. Authors say "it's difficult to say whether hypothesis of existence of web-brigades corresponds to reality", but claim that users professing views and methods that are ascribed to members of "web-brigades" may be found in vast amounts at various opposition forums.

LiveJournal fighters

A member of National Bolshevik Party Roman Sadykhov reported about "LiveJournal fighters", directed and paid from the Kremlin and instructions given to them by Vladislav Surkov, a close aide of Vladimir Putin Surkov allegedly called Livejournal "a very important sector of work" and said that people's brains must be "nationalized" . He instructed "LiveJournal fighters" that

"We are losing in the Internet in that respect. It is always easier to break down things than to do something positive. What you are doing are jokes and minor infractions. Not only methods, but also goals must be radical. We must blow this romantics out of them . It is important not only to protect the authorities - this is understood, but we need to attract young people who can work creatively in the Internet. This is an important communication place of young people. Make them interested in conversations with you."

Russian state security teams

Russian intelligence expert Andrei Soldatov made the following points when asked by Yevgenia Albats about "internet brigades" :

Russian state security teams actively disrupt work of certain political blogs;
One of the teams, who called themselves GRU officers, was actively involved in a disinformation campaign prior to US invasion of Iraq;
The teams are also involved in hacker attacks, and they have probably attacked his own web site during the Moscow theater hostage crisis;
Some of the "internet brigades" are coordinated by the Russian signals intelligence, which is currently a part of the FSB and has been formerly a part of 16th KGB department;
There are also such teams from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Outside Russia

According to anonymous "Polish experts on Russian affairs", reported by the Polish newspaper Tygodnik Powszechny, "at least a dozen active Russian agents work in Poland, also investigating the Polish Internet. They are claimed to scrutinize Polish websites (like those supporting Belarusian opposition), and also to perform such actions, as—for instance—contributing to Internet forums on large portals (like Gazeta.pl, Onet.pl, WP.pl). Labeled as Polish Internet users, they incite anti-Semitic or anti-Ukrainian discussions or disavow articles published on the web."