Explained: Maskirovka, the age-old Russian war tactic
On 24th February, Russia launched an all-out attack on its long-time neighbour Ukraine. According to the Russian President Putin, this was a ‘special military operation’, not a war. He claims that the goal of this ‘operation’, termed by European leaders as ‘Putin’s War’, was to protect people from bullying and genocide. Currently, the fourth round of Ukraine-Russia conflict talks are underway, suggest media reports. The age-old war tactic that Russia follows is known as ‘maskirovka.’ Here’s what is really means.
What is the meaning of ‘maskirovka?’
Maskirovka is a deceptive war tactic deployed by Russians since the beginning of World War I. If the word is translated in English, it literally means “masking something”.
Although maskirovka became popular during the times of the World Wars, it has been part of the Russian military arsenal for ages. In fact, it has been a crucial part of Russian intelligence tradecraft even before the country’s long drawn communist era. It was and still is taught in their military training schools which were founded by the Czar Nicholas II in the late 19th century.
As part of the tactic, dummies, decoys, denial, misinformation and deception are frequently used by the Russian army to misdirect the enemies.
Is maskirovka now used globally?
Maskirovka is now no longer a Russian ploy but is widely used by intelligence agencies worldwide as leverages against the enemies to gather more information about them. The tactic involves disguising your own original intent under the shroud of well-curated and manipulative communication with the enemy parties. Maskirovka is now called as an active measure or psychological operation to force will on the enemy.
How is Russian maskirovka different from global maskirovka?
Although intelligence agencies across the globe have taken up maskirovka as an influential tactic to misguide the enemy, Russian tactic still continues to be one-of-a-kind. It involves pre-emptively manipulating the decision-making process of the adversary and push it towards their own desired outcomes. This reflexive control theory ensures that the enemy is influenced to make a call which has not only been pre-decided but also works in favour of the manipulator. It is a blend of strategic misdirection with confrontation for information which are not only used to defeat the enemies, but also to provoke the domestic population against them as well as win the favour of global public opinion.