A. J. PETROSYAN, Major, Senior Officer, Defense-Academic Editing Department, “Haikakan Banak” DAJ, NDRU, MOD, RA
SUMMARY
The main feature of the information and psychological component of hybrid warfare is the creation of prerequisites with minimal resources for the absolute and effective implementation of the assigned military-political task. This goal is achieved by destabilizing and destroying the cognitive structures of the society, armed forces and strategic decision-makers being chosen as targets. Moreover, the struggle is waged in a moral and psychological environment, «designed» in peacetime, specifically outlined in a period of threat and continuing to take shape during hostilities through aggressive information and psychological actions.
The destruction of enemy’s manpower by physical weapon on the battlefield is the real result of its application, meanwhile an information and psychological weapon is not lethal, although from the viewpoint of the ideological viability of nation-states it is no less crushing. Therefore, in order to reduce the efficiency or neutralize the information and psychological impacts of the enemy on its society and the armed forces it is necessary to identify the sources of these impacts, methodology and ways of implementation, the tools; analyze subject matter and content; evaluate resources and ensure effective counteraction via active counterstruggle combined with suppressive defensive actions.
This assumes the assessment of the moral and psychological state
of the enemy, identification of vulnerable aspects of its spiritual and ideological identity, taking special measures based on the theoretical principles of psychological science and the capabilities of the latest technologies for achieving superiority over the enemy in information sphere and cyberspace.