Following the 2008 Georgian war, Russia identified major deficiencies in its warfare capability, which lead to an extensive reformation and modernization of Russian forces. The reformation was accompanied by a Russian theoretical discussion concerning the wars of tomorrow. Several eminent Russian theorists emphasized the growing importance of non-kinetic means and methods, of which psychological warfare was considered as one of the most primary. Western scholars also emphasized an increased Russian focus on psychological warfare. Despite the identified increased significance on the subject, there is a palpable lack of research on contemporary Russian psychological warfare. This study aims to decrease this lack of research on the subject. Using a theory consuming approach, Russian psychological warfare is analyzed from two cases, Georgia 2008 and Crimea 2014. The study is based on a qualitative text analysis of open sources. By combining two theories on psychological warfare, an analytical tool is developed which is then used in the analysis of the two cases. The theories that form the study´s theoretical base derives from Martin Libicki and Ron Schleifer. The two cases are analyzed and then followed by a comparative analysis of the cases. The study’s result shows that psychological warfare is an important component in Russian warfare, especially in the case of Crimea. Furthermore the study indicates that psychological warfare was a main component in the Crimea case, whereas it was a mere supportive component in the Georgian case.   The results show that Russian psychological warfare is used above all to create a favorable strategic context, where the Russian society and neutrals appears to be the most important target audiences to influence. The results also indicates that psychological warfare contributes in misleading the opponent and could thereby also contribute with obvious operational and tactical advantages for Russian warfare.

<p>I USA infördes begreppet informationsoperationer i mitten av 1990-talet och det har sedan dess skett en stor utveckling inom detta fält. Även i den svenska Försvarsmakten har konceptetinformationsoperationer införts och en utveckling och uppbyggnad av förmågor inom detta koncept pågår. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka huruvida konceptet informationsoperationers uppkomst i Försvarsmakten kan utgöra ett exempel på idéspridning. Utgångspunkten är att USA som en av världens ledande försvarsmakter är trendsättare för andra försvarsmakter i västvärlden, däribland den svenska Försvarsmakten. Med utgångspunkt i teorin om idéspridning undersöks om den amerikanska idén om informationsoperationer har spridit sig och snappats upp av Försvarsmakten som sedan översatt idén efter sina egna förutsättningar. Uppsatsen beskriver informationsoperationers uppkomst i USA och hur begreppet har fått fäste och utvecklats i Försvarsmakten. Vidare beskrivs hur idén tagit organisatorisk form i Försvarsmakten i syfte att utifrån teorin om lokal översättning undersöka hur detta skiljer sig från det amerikanska konceptet. I slutsatserna konstateras att teorin om idéspridning är tillämpbar i det här fallet och att det också skett vissa anpassningar av idén när Försvarsmakten implementerat den i sin egen organisation.</p> / <p>The concept of information operations was introduced in the US in the middle of the 1990’s and has since that time developed and a lot of things have happened in that field during the last decade. The development of information operations is going on in the Swedish Armed Forces as well. The purpose of this essay is to study whether the introduction of the concept of information operationsin the Swedish Armed Forces can be seen as an example of the spreading of ideas according to new institutional theory. With the premise that the US, with one of the worlds leading armed forces, functions as a trend setter for other nations in the western part of the world this essay investigates if it is the American idea about information operations that has been adopted by the Swedish Armed Forces. Furthermore it investigates whether the idea, if it has been adopted, has been copied or translated to fit the new organization. The essay starts with describing the concept of informationoperations in the US, how it was introduced and how it is currently used. Then follows a presentation about how information operations, as a concept, has developed in the Swedish Armed Forces. Differences between how the concept of information operations has been implemented in the organizations is presented and discussed in order to try the theory about local translation of ideas. The major conclusions is that the concept of information operations’ introduction in the Swedish armed forces can function as an example of the new institutional theory about the spreading of ideas and that there has been some adaptations of the concept in order to fit the organization.</p>

I USA infördes begreppet informationsoperationer i mitten av 1990-talet och det har sedan dess skett en stor utveckling inom detta fält. Även i den svenska Försvarsmakten har konceptetinformationsoperationer införts och en utveckling och uppbyggnad av förmågor inom detta koncept pågår. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka huruvida konceptet informationsoperationers uppkomst i Försvarsmakten kan utgöra ett exempel på idéspridning. Utgångspunkten är att USA som en av världens ledande försvarsmakter är trendsättare för andra försvarsmakter i västvärlden, däribland den svenska Försvarsmakten. Med utgångspunkt i teorin om idéspridning undersöks om den amerikanska idén om informationsoperationer har spridit sig och snappats upp av Försvarsmakten som sedan översatt idén efter sina egna förutsättningar. Uppsatsen beskriver informationsoperationers uppkomst i USA och hur begreppet har fått fäste och utvecklats i Försvarsmakten. Vidare beskrivs hur idén tagit organisatorisk form i Försvarsmakten i syfte att utifrån teorin om lokal översättning undersöka hur detta skiljer sig från det amerikanska konceptet. I slutsatserna konstateras att teorin om idéspridning är tillämpbar i det här fallet och att det också skett vissa anpassningar av idén när Försvarsmakten implementerat den i sin egen organisation. / The concept of information operations was introduced in the US in the middle of the 1990’s and has since that time developed and a lot of things have happened in that field during the last decade. The development of information operations is going on in the Swedish Armed Forces as well. The purpose of this essay is to study whether the introduction of the concept of information operationsin the Swedish Armed Forces can be seen as an example of the spreading of ideas according to new institutional theory. With the premise that the US, with one of the worlds leading armed forces, functions as a trend setter for other nations in the western part of the world this essay investigates if it is the American idea about information operations that has been adopted by the Swedish Armed Forces. Furthermore it investigates whether the idea, if it has been adopted, has been copied or translated to fit the new organization. The essay starts with describing the concept of informationoperations in the US, how it was introduced and how it is currently used. Then follows a presentation about how information operations, as a concept, has developed in the Swedish Armed Forces. Differences between how the concept of information operations has been implemented in the organizations is presented and discussed in order to try the theory about local translation of ideas. The major conclusions is that the concept of information operations’ introduction in the Swedish armed forces can function as an example of the new institutional theory about the spreading of ideas and that there has been some adaptations of the concept in order to fit the organization.