StratCom Podcast

Now well into its third year, the war in Ukraine continues to demand the unflinching presence of journalists, whose work remains vital in documenting the realities of the conflict - even as global attention steadily wanes. Amid growing public fatigue and emotional detachment, journalists persist in risking their lives to provide accurate, on-the-ground reporting from one of the world’s most dangerous war zones. According to international press freedom organizations, since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, at least 17 journalists have been killed while covering the war. These reporters face not only the constant threat of shelling, sniper fire, and targeted attacks, but also immense psychological strain. Yet despite these risks, their presence remains indispensable - ensuring that the world continues to bear witness to the unfolding truth in Ukraine. In this episode of #StratComPodcast, Ina Strazdiņa, Foreign Affairs Editor at Latvian Television, reflects on her career covering global conflicts and emphasizes how the war in Ukraine feels especially personal for Latvians due to emotional and geopolitical ties. Strazdiņa shares her experience and insights as an on-site journalist for the war in Ukraine, describing the risks journalists face on the ground, often being direct targets, and explains why first-hand reporting remains vital despite widespread social media coverage. She also discusses the challenge of maintaining public interest amid war fatigue and the shift toward telling stories of Ukrainian resilience. Recalling a tragic incident that left a lasting emotional impact on her, Strazdiņa underscores growing mental health crisis in Ukraine and the urgent need for international psychological support - particularly from culturally and linguistically connected countries like Latvia. As one of Latvia’s most seasoned journalists, Strazdiņa began her career at just 15 years old and has since worked across print, radio, and television. Over the years, she has reported from some of the world’s most volatile regions, including Afghanistan, Syria and, most recently, Ukraine, as well as serving as a Correspondent for Brussels.

In this episode, we’re joined by Roberta Duffield, Director of Strategic Communications at Blackbird.AI, a leading tech company at the forefront of combating information threats. Blackbird.AI specializes in detecting and analyzing online information manipulation using cutting-edge artificial intelligence. The company supports governments, institutions, and enterprises in navigating the complex threat landscape of disinformation, influence operations, and emerging information warfare tactics. With a background in international security, strategic communications, and disinformation analysis, Roberta brings deep expertise in understanding how narratives are shaped—and weaponized—on the global stage. In this conversation, Roberta explores the evolving landscape of information warfare, including how malign actors manipulate perceptions to achieve political, economic, or ideological objectives. She dives into the use of AI by hostile actors to scale influence operations, seed distrust, and polarize societies. The episode also highlights critical future scenarios that policymakers and communicators must anticipate—and act on—before they unfold. Whether you're a strategist, policymaker, researcher, or simply curious about how information is shaping our world, this episode is a must-listen for understanding today’s digital battlespace.

In this episode of the #StratComPodcast, Liudmyla Dolhonovska, former Advisor on Strategic Communications to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, delivers a wealth of insights gleaned from her tenure. She underscores the pivotal role of strategic communications in fostering public trust in the military, particularly during the critical early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Dolhonovska emphasizes the necessity of transparent, timely information dissemination to uphold societal cohesion and sustain support for the armed forces. She reflects on the challenges of maintaining accurate narratives amidst the fog of war, highlighting the need for adaptability and resilience in communication strategies. Her experiences provide a profound understanding of how strategic communication can fortify public confidence and contribute to a nation's resilience in times of crisis. Liudmyla Dolhonovska is a distinguished communication specialist, holding a PhD in Philosophy from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master's degree in History from Nizhyn Mykola Gogol State University. From July 2021 to March 2023, she served as the strategic communications advisor to General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. During her service, Dolhonovska played a crucial role in ensuring the public remained informed during pivotal moments, including the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. On the invasion’s first day, her social media updates reached over seven million people, providing critical and timely information about the attacks. Currently, Dolhonovska serves as Chief of Staff at American University Kyiv (AUK), a partner institution of Arizona State University, where she focuses on advancing world-class educational opportunities in Ukraine.

The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) published its first report in 2016, which was an open-source analysis of Russian military operations in Eastern Ukraine. Using then-basic open-source analytical tools, the DFRLab was able to prove that, contrary to the Kremlin’s claims that no official Russian military forces were present in Ukraine, Russian troops were indeed operating on Ukrainian soil under the command of Russian authorities. Since that initial report, DFRLab has continued to monitor Russian activities in the information space, helping to detect and understand Russia’s evolving narratives and revealing how these narratives are adapted to fit new tactics used by Russia to manipulate information both domestically and internationally. In this episode of #StratComPodcast, Graham Brookie, Vice President for Technology Programs and Strategy at the Atlantic Council and Senior Director of DFRLab, discusses one of the Kremlin’s primary platforms for reaching its audiences: Telegram. He explores Telegram’s role in the information conflict in Ukraine, explaining the factors that have made it a fertile ground for state and non-state actors—often with malicious intent—to disseminate their narratives to vast audiences. Graham also delves into the consequences of this platform's use during times of war.

September 2024 marks one year since Ms Marie-Doha Besancenot joined NATO as an Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy. Having a background formed in both public and private sectors, Ms Besancenot has joined the Alliance in one of the most visible roles and since her appointment, she has been deeply engaged with the defence and strategic communications communities, tackling complex issues at the intersection of diplomacy, security, and public engagement. In a recent LinkedIn post, Ms Besancenot candidly reflected on the persistent challenges that occupy her thoughts, including the effectiveness of NATO’s public diplomacy efforts, audience engagement, and delivery of key messages. These concerns underscore the evolving nature of communication in a fast-changing geopolitical landscape. In the latest episode of the #StratComPodcast, Ms. Besancenot delved into the current state of the Alliance, discussing its preparedness to confront threats within the information environment, the resilience of its global partnerships, and the shared objectives that will shape NATO’s trajectory in the coming years.

The fight for democracy in Belarus, spearheaded by figures like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been a resilient struggle against authoritarianism and electoral injustice. Following the contested 2020 presidential elections, Tikhanouskaya emerged as a prominent symbol of resistance against the entrenched regime of Alexander Lukashenko and, even though forced to live in exile in Lithuania, Tsikhanouskaya has established an oppositional government, Coordination Council in 2020 and the United Transitional Cabinet in 2022. While the world is facing multiple security challenges one after another, Belarus's opposition is still fighting for democracy. During this episode of the #StratComPodcast, Tomass Pildegovičs had an interesting and insightful conversation with Valery Kavaleusky, Representative for Foreign Affairs of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus who shed light on current developments in Belarus.

In the contemporary information landscape riddled with digital disinformation, the duality of AI becomes increasingly evident as it offers both menacing threats and promising opportunities. AI-driven technologies, with their capacity to generate convincing synthetic content and automate the dissemination of falsehoods, heighten the challenge of discerning truth from deception. Paradoxically, AI also emerges as a potential antidote to the disinformation epidemic, with its ability to develop advanced tools for detecting and mitigating misinformation. Navigating this intricate terrain demands a nuanced approach, balancing the need for AI-powered defenses against the imperative of safeguarding ethical information dissemination in the digital age. In this episode of the #StratComPodcast, Dr. Gundars Bergmanis-Korāts, the Principal Scientist of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence shares his insights on the dual nature of AI emphasizing the crucial need to address both positive and negative implications of AI to ensure that it doesn't exacerbate the disinformation problem while also leveraging its potential to safeguard the integrity of digital information.

In 2023 the Center for Countering Disinformation (Ukraine) released an analytical research "Forceful deportation and kidnapping of Ukrainian children" which provided an analysis of the information space and identified hostile information influence campaigns regarding the deportation of Ukrainian children and/or attempts of discrediting Ukraine in this area. This research highlights Kremlin attempts to demonize Armed Forces of Ukraine, discredit Ukrainian government and justify making Ukrainian children a military trophy. Hiding under massive disinformation campaigns and absurd "rescue missions" Russian Federation agents have taken more than nineteen thousand children away from Ukraine since 18 February 2022 (as reported by the Regional Center for Human Rights in Ukraine). In this #StratComPodcast episode Tomass Pildegovičs sat down with Maryna Vorotyntseva, Adviser to the Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to discuss findings of this research and get Ukrainian perspective on atrocities Russia has been relentlessly conducting on Ukraine's soil.   Discussed research available here: https://shorturl.at/djqJ3

Japan plays a crucial role in global geopolitics as a major economic and technological powerhouse in Asia. It is also geographically and economically tied to two concerning neighbors - Russia and China. Recent events, especially - the war in Ukraine and following sanctioning of Russia - have complicated diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries, and Japan is now facing a world where countries are grappling with ever-present security challenges.  Amidst turbulence in global security, Tomass Pildegovičs sat down with Dr. Tosh Minohara, Professor of International Relations and Security Studies at the Graduate School of Law and Politics, Kobe University to discuss Japan's perspective on concerning neighbors, debate on the relevance of Japan's pacifist constitution and society's shifting interest in the war in Ukraine.

In this episode of the #StratComPodcast, the host Tomass Pildegovičs sat down with Nicholas Fang, Director for Security and Global Affairs at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Chair of the Strategic Communications Expert Panel at Singapore’s Ministry of Defence and Founder and Managing Director at the Singapore market and social research agency Black Dot Research to explore disinformation in Singapore.  While the country has made an effort to be ahead of the disinformation threat curve, over the last years, it has experienced multiple large-scale targeted disinformation campaigns aimed at government, political processes, elections, and society in general in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. Has the Singaporean anti-fake news legislation changed the information environment? Is this the practice other countries should consider applying? Has debunking delivered the results Singapore has hoped for? Listen to the episode for answers to these and other exciting questions!

Nestled at the strategically crucial crossroads where Europe converges with Asia, over centuries Georgia has found itself caught in the midst of power struggles. Since its emergence as an independent state in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia has once again become a focal point of competing interests, and it's ambitions to join NATO and the EU have added to regional tensions that were further heightened by Moscow's backing of the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, culminating in a war in 2008. This historical backdrop sets the stage for the ongoing complex dynamics in the region. In this compelling episode of the #StratComPodcast, we are joined by the former Ambassador and Head of Georgia's Foreign Intelligence Service, now Senior Fellow at the FPRI’s Eurasia Program - Batu Kutelia. Ambassador Kutelia sheds light on Georgia's enduring struggle for freedom and sovereignty in the face of relentless Russian threats. We delve into the complexities of the region's geopolitical landscape and explore the parallels between Russia's imperialistic behavior in Georgia, Ukraine, and on the international stage in general.      

Almost a year and a half have passed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Developments on the battlefield show that there will be no easy victories for Russia. The world awaits with bated breath for Ukraine's counterattack, and there is no doubt that major losses will be on Russia's side. For the S4E2 of the #StratComPodcast, we sat down with Jānis Sārts, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence to learn his outlook on the situation developments. Mr. Sārts talks about the possibility and sensibility of negotiations with Putin, the state of mind of the international community, the long-awaited inclusion of Ukraine into international organizations and more.

Most likely, it is not the first time that the terms "information literacy" or "digital hygiene" come up. But what do those terms actually mean? Is there a basic skill set we need to acquire to survive this information war? Is there a set of activities each of us can do to protect ourselves from disinformation overflowing social media? And most importantly - can we distinguish pieces of disinformation if we do not really know how it is created? If these questions do bother you, this #StratComPodcast episode aims to clear the air.   The conversation with Nika Aleksejeva, Lead Researcher at the Atlantic Council's DFR Lab and Lead Digital Forensic Researcher at the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence was recorded 3 months after Russia invaded Ukraine. That was also the period when Kremlin was working overtime in attempts to brainwash both domestic and foreign audiences. Nika gives a highly valuable insight into how information war is constructed - from tactics and messages to channels used. And be sure - if you think that Kremlin's propaganda has not reached you yet, you are most likely scrolling through it already. One thing that can make difference here is your ability to recognize malicious activity online and your willingness to spread the word about the damage it does.

Nowadays decision-making process on every level is heavily affected by the digital world and social media in particular. While social media can serve to amplify democratic processes and provide a platform that allows for voices to be heard, the lack of control over hectic processes on various platforms gives malicious actors a space and audience to manipulate with. Luckily, any activity in the digital space leaves a trace in the form of a digital footprint, and applied machine learning comes in handy to sort out this massive amount of data. What researchers have learned about the development of society so far? Are we as a society shaping the digital world or digital world shape us?   During the Riga StratCom Dialogue 2022 conference this May, #StratComPodcast host Tomas Pildegovičs sat down with Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher, who is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy and the department of political science at the University of Calgary. At present, his research is focused on applied machine learning to understand how the digital world shapes our society, civil-military relations in Canada, as well as vaccine hesitancy on social media with an aim to develop better communications strategies and tools to increase vaccine uptake.

Almost nine months have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and there are no doubts that the Kremlin has terribly miscalculated both its military capabilities and Ukrainians' will to resist. For Ukrainians, the war has already started in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea, and they have been building their capacity in both military, as well as cognitive domains ever since. #StratComPodcast host Tomas Pildegovičs sat down with the Co-Founder of the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center and civic activist Natalya Popovich to dig deeper into the foundations of Ukrainian resilience. Natalya shares her insights into how Ukrainian culture, perception of themselves, and history have changed since the annexation of Crimea and how Ukrainians built the image of "professional resisters" by countering Russian information operations long before the Russian army set foot on their soil. She also elaborates on the issue of putting efforts in resisting the country that has invested hugely into building its brand as a region-dominant culture.