Air Force Major General Vincent Breton, Director of the Joint Centre for Concepts, Doctrines and Experiments, provides an overall strategic and operational analysis. Highlighting the return of high-intensity warfare in Europe, in seven fields and areas of conflict (land, sea, air, space, cyber, information and electromagnetic), he also notes the return of nuclear rhetoric.
He places particular emphasis on the field of information: "The information battle is absolutely decisive in this war, and Ukraine is very impressive in this respect and is teaching us a lesson. The Ukrainian communication strategy is absolutely remarkable and targets three very specific audiences.
Firstly, it targets the Ukrainian people and their soldiers to galvanise them and strengthen what are known as moral forces. Secondly, it targets Western public opinion to reinforce empathy and ensure massive support from the West, which is decisive. Finally, it targets the Russians, in particular to demobilise their soldiers. The Ukrainians are very good at making fun of Russian soldiers on social networks, to make them look like poor soldiers and so make them lose confidence.
As far as Russia's communications strategy is concerned, it is such a failure in the West that it is so outrageous, but that is probably not the point. On the other hand, Russia's strategy of influence is highly effective vis-à-vis the rest of the world. I would remind you that the leaders of more than 50 % of humanity support or refuse to condemn Russia. It is clear that the world is not allied under the West and does not think like us, and we must be fully aware of this."
