Command and Control Russian Reflexive Control
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Feb 16, 2026 Dr Ivana Stradler, a research fellow on Russian security strategy and info operations, explains reflexive control and fragmented Russian command and control. She discusses how Moscow models adversary decisions, uses psychological and cyber tools, and coordinates state and proxy actors. The conversation covers historical roots, tactical examples, and practical counters like pre-framing and building cognitive resilience.
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Cyber And Psychology As One System
- Russia treats cyber and psychological operations as a unified information-security ecosystem rather than separate domains.
- That fusion enables coordinated attacks that blend technical disruption with cognitive influence to destabilize societies.
2014 French TV Attack Example
- Ivana recounts a 2014 cyberattack on French TV initially blamed on ISIS but later linked to Russian Fancy Bear.
- Russia used that false claim to discourage Western support for Ukraine by stoking fear of escalation.
Top-Level Direction, Fragmented Execution
- Moscow issues broad strategic direction but delegates operational execution to a fragmented, bottom-up ecosystem.
- This fragmentation creates plausible deniability and makes targeting Russian influence networks difficult.