The new battlefield: How social media became a weapon of war

Wars are no longer just fought with bullets and bombs. They are fought with tweets, deepfakes, and algorithm-driven propaganda. And right now, the world is losing.

Image: Joanna Chan

The war you can’t see

We sat in on a closed-door briefing with high-ranking security officials from the UK and Ukraine. The message was clear: war is no longer just about weapons and territory. It is now fought online—through disinformation, digital blackmail, and manipulation. The battleground is social media, where those shaping the narrative are not always who they claim to be.

The following insights come from a closed-door briefing in central London, where high-ranking security officials discussed the transforming nature of warfare in Ukraine and beyond.

The meeting was held under Chatham House Rules, ensuring participants could speak openly without fear of attribution. While the details of the discussion can be reported, the identities and affiliations of those present remain confidential, allowing for a candid examination of the threats facing modern democracies.

The warning was stark: Western nations are nowhere near ready for this kind of war. While Ukraine faces missiles and drones, it is also engaged in an invisible battle—one unfolding across Twitter threads, Telegram channels, and algorithm-driven propaganda designed to manipulate public perception.

The digital war: How social media is used as a weapon

The war in Ukraine has exposed how deeply social media has been weaponised. Fake accounts, propaganda, and coordinated disinformation campaigns don’t just exist—they shape reality. This has created a cascade effect, where false narratives spread rapidly and uncritically, gaining traction as more people accept and share them without verification.

The discussion revealed that entire networks of fake accounts are created to promote specific narratives, portraying Ukraine as isolated, weak, or even responsible for its own invasion. This is not new, but the scale is unprecedented. Disinformation campaigns are now leveraging vast networks of anonymous accounts, many powered by AI-driven automation, allowing propaganda to be mass-produced at a speed and volume never seen before. These accounts create the illusion of organic public opinion shifts, manipulating social media platforms and overwhelming fact-checking mechanisms.

Unlike past disinformation efforts, which relied on human coordination, today’s digital propaganda operates at an industrial scale, automating attacks that target both Ukrainian resilience and Western unity. In this environment, misinformation spreads rapidly, reinforcing strategic narratives while outpacing traditional countermeasures.

Another growing concern is the use of blackmail and social media manipulation to target individuals. Politicians, activists, and journalists can be silenced or discredited before they even realise they are under attack. Some Western governments still underestimate this. Having been forced to fight on every front, Ukraine does not have that luxury.

Why the West is unprepared for this kind of war

The question was asked: Is the UK ready for this kind of warfare? The answer was straightforward — no. While Ukraine has learned the hard way, Western countries have yet to adapt. Despite ongoing discussions about misinformation, governments continue to treat it as a side issue rather than a serious national security threat.

One of the biggest concerns raised was the vulnerability of public figures. Cyber blackmail, AI-generated kompromat, and targeted disinformation campaigns can dismantle reputations overnight. This is not just about foreign policy — it’s about how easily governments and institutions can be destabilised without a single bullet being fired.

Western military doctrines on the surface level seem quite outdated. Traditional defence strategies do not account for wars fought in algorithms, bots, and information bubbles. The reality is that a government’s stability can be undermined from within, without an army ever crossing its borders.

The reality on the frontlines: A war that’s changed

Beyond the digital fight, the physical war itself has changed. Reports from the frontlines paint a picture of warfare that looks nothing like the conflicts NATO was built to fight. The old rules no longer apply.

The battlefield in Ukraine is constantly shifting. There are no clear frontlines, only grey zones where drone warfare and targeted strikes define the fight. Traditional ground advances are brutal and costly — if Russia sends 100 soldiers forward, only two might survive. Warfare has become a test of endurance, adaptation, and technology, not just manpower.

While Ukraine is forced to adapt its strategies daily, concerns were raised in the briefing that Western military alliances are not adjusting at the same pace. Strategies that were once effective may no longer apply to the realities of modern warfare, raising questions over whether NATO, in its current form, is equipped to meet these challenges. It was noted that this is not theoretical — it is being demonstrated in real-time on the battlefield.

What needs to change?

The war in Ukraine has presented the world with a rare opportunity to learn — if governments are paying attention. A key point raised in the discussion was that modern conflict does not wait for slow reforms. Nations must adapt now or risk being left behind.

Another major concern raised was the failure of governments to regulate digital warfare. The assumption that fake accounts and AI-generated propaganda are “just part of the internet” was described as a dangerous delusion. Information warfare is already undermining political systems worldwide, influencing public opinion, elections, and policymaking. The discussion highlighted that Western nations remain unprepared to counter these threats, lacking both strategic frameworks and technological defences.

A proposal discussed was the creation of a tech exchange platform between Ukraine and the UK, allowing battlefield-tested military and digital warfare tactics to be shared. It was noted that Ukraine has had no choice but to develop real-time solutions, as traditional military doctrines have proved insufficient.

For example, Ukraine’s forces have rapidly adapted to unmanned warfare, extensively using FPV (First-Person View) drones and UAVs for both reconnaissance and precision strikes. Unlike conventional armies that rely on long procurement cycles, Ukraine has swiftly integrated commercial drone technology into battlefield operations, repurposing civilian tools for military use.

Additionally, the discussion underscored how Ukraine has pioneered decentralised command structures, relying on real-time intelligence and encrypted communication to enable swift tactical decisions. This was contrasted with Western military models, which often depend on slow, hierarchical decision-making that is ill-suited to modern combat.

These adaptations are not theoretical — they are happening in real time. The ability to repurpose technology, decentralise command, and exploit emerging digital tools has allowed Ukraine to counter a much larger adversary. Western militaries must integrate these lessons now—before outdated doctrines leave them unprepared for the next war.

The bigger picture: What comes next?

The war in Ukraine is not just about land. It is about who controls the truth. One of the most unsettling discussions was about how global perceptions are shifting. What was once firm support for Ukraine is quietly being reframed as a push for negotiations. This is not accidental. It is a deliberate shift in narrative, designed to wear down public support.

At the same time, attention is already turning to the next war, and there’s already growing concern that the world is not looking in the right direction. Russia’s long-term ambitions go beyond just Ukraine; there’s discussions about energy markets, Arctic resources, and future geopolitical tensions that will define the coming decades. The question is whether the world is prepared — or whether it will, once again, react too late.

The discussion also raised an uncomfortable reality: as long as oil prices remain high, Russia’s war machines will keep running. The historical pattern is clear. If economic conditions shift, conflict might pause. If they remain in Russia’s favour, what happens next is predictable.

Final thoughts: a warning for the digital age

The war in Ukraine is not just being fought with weapons — it’s being fought with information.

One of the strongest warnings from the briefing was that future conflicts will not start with an invasion. They will begin with a disinformation campaign, designed to weaken a nation from within before a single attack is launched.

This isn’t speculation. It’s already happening. The question is not whether social media is a battlefield — it is. The real question is whether governments, institutions, and individuals will recognise this before it is too late. If the modern world does not take this threat seriously, it will soon face a crisis it is wholly unprepared for.