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11 September 2024

US forces should consider Ukraine’s freewheeling model for social media messaging, analysts say

JOHN VANDIVER 

Ukrainian efforts at countering Russian disinformation campaigns have seen success because their troops aren’t bogged down by an overly cautious U.S.-style chain of command, according to a new report that suggests the American military needs to loosen up. 

Fear of embarrassing publicity if communication efforts go wrong is one of the driving factors that is holding back the U.S. military, the Rand Corp. said in a study of Ukrainian communication tactics released Tuesday. 

“The result of such concerns over risk is that senior (U.S.) government leaders and military commanders often implement cumbersome approval processes that slow response times and are emblematic of a reluctance to take risks in implementing programs,” the report said. 

By contrast, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s flexibility enabled it to give various outside communication specialists control of its account on Twitter, now known as X, which was a key part of its success in attracting a large audience, Rand said. 

“The United States will need to assess its own doctrine, training, and wargaming efforts to ensure it is able to counter disinformation during conflict,” Rand said. 

A Ukrainian officer supporting his defense ministry’s communication efforts told Rand that their approach was “trust based” and that it freed up troops to “leverage soldier creativity.”


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