Lawfare dan Disinformasi: Analisis Etis atas Strategi Rusia dalam Perang Ukraina

Abstract

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine signifies a pivotal evolution in hybrid warfare, wherein information and legal instruments are instrumentalized as strategic weapons (lawfare) to manipulate global perception and monopolize domestic truth. Drawing upon moral responsibility theory and information ethics, this study aims to identify the primary mechanisms of Russia's employment of lawfare, evaluate the ethical implications of the resulting informational degradation, and assess Ukraine's information defense response in cultivating national epistemic resilience. Employing a qualitative approach via a systematic literature review of legal documents, investigative reports, and expert analyses, this research reveals that Russian lawfare operates as an integrated system amalgamating legal instruments, digital propaganda, and repression against journalists. Furthermore, the findings indicate that Ukraine has successfully mitigated certain impacts through narrative consolidation and OSINT verification, yet faces ethical dilemmas regarding the equilibrium between information security and democratic values. Conclusively, this study underscores that modern lawfare necessitates a novel ethical approach that prioritizes the protection of the information space as a fundamental pillar of sovereignty and national security.