19 March 2022 | New Scientist | 5The leader
THE ever-growing threats of cyberwarfare
and online disinformation are now
in the spotlight amid Russia’s invasion
of Ukraine. With the NATO military
alliance reluctant to establish a no-fly
zone over Ukraine, or engage in any other
actions that could ignite a much wider
conflict, the internet has inevitably
become a key battleground.
But that isn’t to say there haven’t been
surprises. On page 8, one expert expresses
shock at the volume of online fake news
about the war. Clearly, the invasion isn’t
the first war associated with this issue –
researchers and think tanks have also
monitored online propaganda in other
recent conflicts, including in Syria and
Libya – but it is characterised by a much
larger wave of false information.
Another surprise has been the apparentlack of an all-out cyberwar on Ukraine
by Russia. As detailed on page 9, we are
yet to see the kinds of crippling digital
infrastructure attacks that had been
predicted. In part, this is likely to be
because, after years of such attacks,
Ukraine has learned to defend itself.However, Russia may also now be
hemmed in by the fact that the fate of
its attempt to occupy Ukraine is tied
up with the functioning of the country.
Taking down communication lines or
the power grid would make operations
harder for Russian forces.
For similar reasons, a significantradiation leak from one of Ukraine’s
captured nuclear power plants is unlikely
(see page 7). Any leak caused by bombing
or safety lapses would probably be carried
by wind into Russia itself, making this an
undesirable outcome for Russian forces.
Cyberwarfare and nuclear issues have
been the subject of New Scientist reporting
for decades. As this issue went to press,
there was concern that two other threats
we have followed closely over the years –
biological and chemical weapons – might
be deployed. In spreading disinformation
that the US has been developing biological
armaments in Ukraine, the fear is that
Russia is setting the stage to use biological
and chemical weapons. This troubling
development is a reminder that, even
in the age of the internet, war is still life
or death for those in the firing line. ❚Phoney war
The internet is a key battleground between truth and lies about the Ukraine invasion
“ The invasion of Ukraine is
characterised by a much larger
wave of false information”Chief executive Nina Wright
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