MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2018) The main goal of the UK Army's 77th Brigade, which reportedly can conduct "black" messaging operations, is to counter the objective coverage of events by independent media outlets, including the RT broadcaster and Sputnik news agency, Igor Morozov, the member of the Russian upper house's information policy committee, said on Wednesday.
The Wired magazine reported on November 14 citing an information warfare officer, not affiliated with the 77th Brigade, that the unit, formally tasked with challenging "the difficulties of modern warfare" through "non-lethal engagement," could conduct "grey" and "black" messaging campaigns in special conflict situations when deemed necessary. According to the magazine, in this case, the messaging can look like it came from other source, not the military, and does not necessarily have to tell the truth. The 77th Brigade has offices focusing on understanding audiences and examining data on social media, the monthly US magazine said.
"Other countries, including the United States, have similar units, too. Their goal is to counter the objective coverage of global events by independent media, in particular RT and Sputnik," Morozov said.
The lawmaker stressed that it was the objective reporting by the RT and Sputnik that made them very popular abroad as their strategy contravened the Western doctrine that imposes its own interpretation of information on the world.
"The creation of such information [warfare] units inside the UK army and in other countries once again shows that the scenario of the great information war against Russia is in action, and it is very serious. It is one of the elements aimed at neutralizing the voice of Russia as well as the fight to preserve global leadership of the United States," Morozov underlined.
Earlier this week, the UK's Joint Committee on National Security Strategy called on the government to designate cabinet minister with "cross-government" responsibility for delivering cybersecurity, citing the alleged threat of Russian hackers, among other challenges.
The 77th Brigade is a combined regular and army reserve unit responsible for using "legitimate non-military levers" as a means "to adapt behaviors of the opposing forces."
