"I studied at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University' - Vladimir Yakovlev, 2016
The methods used by Russian propaganda described by a Russian journalist:
... We had a military department. In an atmosphere of secrecy, we were taught special combat propaganda - the art of sowing discord in the ranks of the enemy with the help of disinformation and manipulation of consciousness. Let me tell you, its a scary business. I'm not kidding.
Combat, or black, propaganda allows any distortion of real facts to solve propaganda problems. This is an effective weapon used for the sole purpose of knocking out the enemys brains. The "rotten herring" method. The "inverted pyramid" method. The "big lie" method. The 40 to 60 principle. The "absolutely obvious" method. You also know all these methods and techniques. You just don't realize it. As intended.
We were taught to use special propaganda techniques against soldiers of the enemy army. Today they are used against the civilian population of our own country. For two years now, reading Russian newspapers or watching television shows, I have noted with interest that people coordinating the distribution and interpretation of news in Russia clearly learned from the same textbook as I have, from the same cheerful colonel or his colleagues.
For example, the rotten herring method. It works like this. A false accusation is chosen. It is important that it is as dirty and scandalous as possible. For example, petty theft, child molestation, or murder, preferably out of greed work well. The purpose of the rotten herring is not to prove the accusation. Its to cause a wide, public discussion... How its unjust and unfair.
Continued
https://nafoforum.org/magazine/i-studied-at-the-faculty-of-journalism-of-moscow-state-university-vladimir-yakovlev-2016