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Russian Command and Control in Information Warfare and Reflexive Influence: Implications or NATO and Counter-Reflexive Control

By Dr. Ivana Stradner, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

This paper reviews Russia’s approach to C2 in the information environment. This approach relies on the Soviet technique of “reflexive control,” in which Russian operatives model an adversary’s decisionmaking structure and plant subversive information that leads the adversary to make seemingly logical decisions that benefit Moscow. Using reflexive control, the Kremlin aims to subvert NATO’s decisionmaking infrastructure by inciting disunity and disfunction in the alliance. Moscow uses nuclear signaling in the framework of reflexive control to try to fracture the alliance’s resolve against Russia. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for NATO’s consideration: the introduction of a Perception Management Warfare Assessment Unit and the implementation of a tactic of Counter-Reflexive Control.