Russia – Ike’s Anvil

September 16, 2024September 16, 2024

The Information War: How Foreign Actors Use Disinformation to Destabilize the West

By Vincent DiFonzo ’25, Managing Editor

Vincent DiFonzo ’25 at the Israeli-Jordanian Border during the EI Contours of the Middle East 2023 trip.

Russia Today is an English-language Russian state-owned media outlet widely known for its biased reporting and spread of misinformation in order to defend the government of Vladimir Putin. The network specifically broadcasts in English to reach foreign audiences, giving the Kremlin a voice to whisper in the Western public’s ear.

Last week, the United States Department of Justice formally accused Russia of election interference through the spread of disinformation, largely due to U.S. support for Ukraine in their ongoing war and U.S. deterrence of Russian aggression against its neighbors since the Russian Federation’s founding in 1991.

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February 20, 2023February 20, 2023

The Importance of a Total Ukrainian Victory

By Vincent DiFonzo ’25

Since assuming the presidency of the Russian Federation in 1999, Vladimir Putin has deliberately worked towards an invasion of Ukraine. Over the past two decades, Putin has built up the Russian military, tested his boundaries with the West and repeatedly provoked Ukraine.

In 2014, following the pro-democracy and pro-European Maidan Revolution in Ukraine, Russia invaded and occupied the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea with almost no resistance. The diplomatic backlash from the West, including the United States, Canada, the European Union and NATO was swift. However, the actual repercussions were small and mostly symbolic. Since 2014, Putin has continued to cause chaos in Ukraine through his support for Russian separatists in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Despite years of warnings that Russia could invade Ukraine, the West still wasn’t ready.

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November 29, 2022February 20, 2023

An Old Rivalry Reignited

By Blake Dudley ’23

As the Russo-Ukrainian War continues to rage on, it has become clear that Russia has suffered an immense failure. From the first week of the conflict, when Russia failed to seize Kiev and topple the Ukrainian government, its forces have continued to face setback after setback with continued ground loss and mounting casualties. Russia still holds a significant portion of Ukrainian territory and still poses a significant threat, but its pride and military capabilities have been shattered. Yet, who does Russia blame for this? It is not Ukraine, but rather NATO and the United States.

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