Disinformation has the potential to sway elections and widen social divides (something we witness everyday). It’s some of the most effective countermeasures start well before a crisis emerges. A 2023 EU report revealed over 750 coordinated disinformation campaigns in Europe, targeting media outlets (e.g., Euronews, Reuters), and public trust during key elections in Ukraine, Spain, and Poland. Tactics included fake celebrity voices/images and Telegram‑based “swarming” manipulations.
Bulgarian journalist and security researcher Ruslan Trad, an expert on hybrid warfare and disinformation, believes that governments, experts, and citizens must work together to stay ahead of the threat. Below are some key takeaways from Trad’s appearance on The Recursive podcast.
You can watch the full conversation here.
The power of preparedness
One of the most effective ways to blunt the impact of disinformation is through preparation, Trad says. A clear example comes from the Czech Republic: in 2023, as the country braced for severe floods, the Ministry of Interior anticipated that the disaster could be exploited by disinformation campaigns — especially given its military support for Ukraine.
Instead of waiting, officials called in disinformation experts, consulted media editors across the country, and launched a national awareness campaign before the first waters rose. The message was clear: the government was acting, competent, and prepared.
“It was a successful case of a government uniting forces with experts and society itself,” Trad says. “They debunked the disinformation trends before they arrived.”
Since 1 January 2017, the Czech Ministry of the Interior’s Centre Against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats has operated as a specialized analytical and communications unit monitoring a broad range of internal security risks, including terrorism, extremism, and disinformation campaigns, and proposing both legislative and public-awareness responses
Mobilizing against misinformation
Romania offers another compelling case study. During the first round of its recent presidential election, the pro-European candidate trailed by 20 points. Within a single week, however, a wave of public mobilization drove voter turnout above 64% in the second round, delivering a win.
For Trad, the lesson is simple: disinformation is most effective when societies are apathetic. “When people are informed, motivated, and willing to fact-check, they can change outcomes — even in days.”
Education as a long-term defense
While emergency campaigns can blunt immediate threats, Trad sees education as the only lasting antidote to disinformation. He points to Scandinavian countries, where schools teach media literacy and governments distribute survival and communication guides to households. Sweden and Finland run regular civilian training programs, ensuring that citizens know how to stay informed in crises, whether natural disasters or political escalations.
Central European neighbors like Poland and the Czech Republic have similar initiatives, but such programs remain rare in the Balkans, where public defense training can be politically sensitive.
“Speculations are a very good field for disinformation,” he says. “If you don’t fill that space with facts and context, someone else will.”
The way forward
The examples from the Czech Republic and Romania show that the right combination of foresight, communication, and public engagement can blunt even well-organized disinformation efforts.
Trad’s message is that the fight against falsehoods cannot be left to fact-checkers and journalists alone. It requires active cooperation between government institutions, private sector experts, and citizens — long before the next flood, crisis, or campaign season begins.
