Episode 2

What Can We Learn about War Propaganda from Russia?

Published on: 24th March, 2026

How and why do powerful actors use propaganda as a crucial war strategy? In this episode, we see what we can learn from Russia’s use of propaganda in its war with Ukraine, and explore the relationships between misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. We also look at which communities are least susceptible to war propaganda, as well as what we can do to improve the quality of information we have access to worldwide.

Daniel Silverman is Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) at Carnegie Mellon University. His research addresses the psychological factors – including the biases and misperceptions – that drive violent conflicts, and how they can be mitigated or leveraged to promote peace. He is the author of Seeing is Disbelieving: Why People Believe Misinformation in War, and When They Know Better (2024).

Jeanne Cavelier is the Head of Eastern Europe & Central Asia Desk for the Paris-based organization, Reporters without Borders – often referred to by its French acronym, RSF. She contributes to the RSF’s Propaganda Monitor, the organization’s multimedia platform that aims to expose the many faces and tactics behind propaganda worldwide. She previously worked as a journalist, including in Moscow, Russia. Access RSF's Propaganda Monitor; and their report on Russia, Reporting under Russian fire: more than 175 journalists victims of abuse in Ukraine in the past four years.

Additional Resources mentioned in this podcast:

https://www.bellingcat.com/

https://www.bbc.com/news/bbcverify

https://journalismtrustinitiative.org/

https://www.osint.industries/

Newsguard app in Apple App Store and on Google Play Store

Disrupting Peace is a production of the World Peace Foundation. The show is produced by Bridget Conley and Emily Shaw. Engineering by Jacob Winik and Aja Simpson. Marketing and Social media by Kaelen Song. Show artwork by Simon Fung.

Special thanks to Lisa Avery and Alex de Waal, and the Tufts Digital Design Studio team.

Find out more about the World Peace Foundation at worldpeacefoundation.org. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @worldpeacefdtn.

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About the Podcast

Disrupting Peace
Disrupting Peace explores why peace hasn’t worked, and how it still could. In each episode, Bridget Conley, research director at the World Peace Foundation, speaks with a researcher specializing in one obstacle to peace, and an activist who’s changing systems from the ground up. Together they explore what worked, what didn’t, and why we shouldn’t give up.

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Bridget Conley

Bridget Conley is Research Director at the World Peace Foundation (WPF) and an Associate Research Professor at The Fletcher School, Tufts University. She leads WPF’s research programs on atrocity response and incarceration. She works closely with the Executive Director on project development, fundraising and strategic vision for WPF. Currently, her primary research focus concerns the implications of American mass incarceration for local, national and international policies.