Russian universities and the training of future information warfare specialists

As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, the Kremlin’s information warfare apparatus appears to be expanding far beyond traditional propaganda networks. Increasingly, Russian universities and academic institutions are becoming involved in developing programmes focused on information influence, cognitive warfare and hybrid conflict, signalling what some observers describe as the professionalisation of future information warfare specialists.

Recent investigations by independent media suggest these efforts form part of a broader attempt to strengthen Russia’s ability to shape narratives, spread disinformation and undermine trust abroad.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there seems to be a new industry around the issue developing within the Russian higher education system. One of the pioneers of such ideas is political scientist Andrey Manoilo, who, in 2022, helped establish a new master’s programme at Moscow State University (MGU) titled “Information and Hybrid Wars”. In 2024, Manoilo also founded the specialised “Academy for Political Sciences Alter”, offering a similar curriculum.

That same year, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) launched another programme entitled “Strategies of Information Influence in International Relations”. Also in 2024, in cooperation with MGU, both universities introduced a further programme, “Cognitive and Neurotechnology Research in International Relations”, while the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) launched its own programme, “Informational and Cognitive Technologies in a Political Process”.

Finally, in spring 2026, investigative journalists published leaked documents from Bauman Moscow State Technical University which allegedly revealed the existence of a secret department dedicated to training future cyber and psychological operations operatives linked to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.

Although it remains unclear whether these programmes are directly coordinated with Russian intelligence and security services, or what their exact content and operational goals may be, their emergence following the invasion of Ukraine strongly suggests a growing effort to centralise and professionalise the training of future PSYOP specialists.

The case of Bauman Moscow State Technical University appears to reflect this broader trend, highlighting both the increasing demand for such specialists within the Russian system and the close relationship between Russian higher education institutions and state security structures.

As a result, it can reasonably be argued that universities, private companies and academic staff involved in these initiatives are contributing to the development of Russia’s hybrid warfare capabilities. Consequently, they could potentially face countermeasures, including sanctions, in the same way as other entities linked to activities targeting Euro-Atlantic states.