Ukraine ambassador’s warning over Russia using disinformation as a weapon against Australians

Australians are at risk from a new type of Russian attack designed to “break down society from within”, Ukraine’s top diplomat is warning.

EXCLUSIVE: Ukraine’s ambassador will warn Australians that Russia is targeting them with fake narratives that it could weaponise against our communities in times of conflict.

Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko will headline a forum at the University of Sydney about Russian disinformation and foreign influence campaigns on Thursday.

The event, hosted by the United States Studies Centre, will examine how such campaigns have become tools in shaping public debate far beyond Eastern Europe.

“Any disinformation can come at times of crisis, at times of war. We need to proactively learn and counter it before it spreads and becomes too powerful”, Ambassador Myroshnychenko told this masthead.

“Australian society is more resilient than American society but you never know what will happen in three years from now.

“Our purpose is to underline how adversaries can use media to break down society from within.”

Ukraine’s ambassador will headline a forum where he will warn Australians that Russia is targeting them with fake narratives. Pictured is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: AP

Ambassador Myroshnychenko will be joined by former Ukrainian diplomat Natalia Solieva and University of Sydney senior lecturer in digital cultures Dr Olga Boichak.

“Disinformation wars can appear at any time, at any region, at any society no matter the location. Disinformation lives on our phones, on the phones of our friends and families”, Ms Solieva said.

“The war on a battlefield has geographical borders but disinformation does not have borders. It can pop up at any time, especially at elections, or when society is most divided and vulnerable.”

“We have to prepare people that it’s possible that malign actors from abroad will fuel fire against vulnerable topics inside this society.”

Together the pair will publicly share lessons learnt in Ukraine as part of an effort to educate the Australian government, civil society and the media.

Ambassador Myroshnychenko will be joined by former Ukrainian diplomat Natalia Solieva and University of Sydney senior lecturer in digital cultures Dr Olga Boichakm at a forum on Thursday to be held at Sydney University.

The panel, moderated by the centre’s strategic technologies director Olivia Shen, will examine Russia’s tactics, narratives and impacts and how nations can build resilience against foreign influence.

Russia’s campaigns “have increasingly become defining features of today’s information landscape” and shape debates in Australia, the United States Studies Centre described.

“All Australian ethnic groups read media produced from their own country of origin. We have to look at WeChat, we have to look at Russian news services”, ambassador Myroshnychenko told this masthead.

He warned that Australians are vulnerable to falsehoods if they stop watching professional news in favour of YouTube and TikTok.

“Often you see Russia’s narratives recycled by China. They go very close together. One of the goals is to undermine trust in conventional media and another is to weaken democracy.”

Originally published as Ukraine ambassador’s warning over Russia using disinformation as a weapon against Australians