Olga Lautman

Olga Lautman, senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and co-host of the Kremlin File podcast, discusses the internal upheaval in Ukraine due to Russian sympathizers and spies within government agencies. Topics include the firing of key officials, impact on war crime investigations, tactics of Russia, need for reforms, and safeguarding institutions against active measure campaigns.

Over the last several weeks, Russian aggression toward Ukraine has escalated dramatically. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Feb. 21 that Russia would recognize the sovereignty of two breakaway regions in Ukraine’s east, Donetsk and Luhansk, whose years-long effort to secede from Ukraine has been engineered by Russia. Russian troops have entered eastern Ukraine as supposed “peacekeepers,” and the Russian military has taken up positions along a broad stretch of Ukraine’s border.Along with the military dimensions of the crisis, there’s also the question of how various actors are using information to provoke or defuse violence. Russia has been spreading disinformation about supposed violence against ethnic Russians in Ukraine. The United States and its Western partners, meanwhile, have been releasing intelligence about Russia’s plans—and about Russian disinformation—at a rapid and maybe even unprecedented clip.So today on Arbiters of Truth, our series on the online information ecosystem, we’re bringing you an episode about the role of truth and falsehoods in the Russian attack on Ukraine. Evelyn Douek and Quinta Jurecic spoke with Olga Lautman, a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis—who has been tracking Russian disinformation in Ukraine—and Shane Harris, a reporter at the Washington Post—who has been reporting on the crisis.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Steven Hassan, a mental health counselor and former cult member, shares his insights on deprogramming techniques and the psychological tactics behind cults, particularly in the context of rising authoritarianism. Olga Lautman and Monique Camarra delve into the threats posed by Russian disinformation campaigns and their effects on U.S. democracy. They discuss the alarming connections between right-wing leaders and cult-like behaviors, emphasizing the urgent need for awareness and action to combat misinformation and protect democratic values.