Challenging the Kremlin’s hyperreality construct

Abstract

This article critically examines the Kremlin’s calculated deployment of hyperreality–manifested through maskirovka–as a linchpin in its geopolitical playbook. By leveraging propaganda and deception, Russia creates a dichotomy between perceived strength and concealed fragility, manipulating both domestic and international audiences. Drawing parallels between Soviet-era disinformation tactics and present-day campaigns, the piece reveals a continuum of narrative distortion aimed at consolidating power and deterring opposition. It underscores the emergence of cognitive sovereignty as a pivotal national security imperative in the digital age, where disinformation and algorithmic exploitation undermine critical thought and societal cohesion. Advocating for a decisive shift in counterstrategies, this article emphasises the urgency of reclaiming the informational high ground. This intellectual offensive reframes the cognitive domain an increasingly critical arena of conflict, highlighting the importance of the prevailing of truth against the constructed illusions of authoritarian regimes thus safeguarding cognitive sovereignty and restoring epistemic integrity in the face of engineered hyperreality.