Evolution of information warfare in human history

This article is dedicated to the topic of the evolution of the theory and practice of information warfare throughout history, from ancient times to the present. The study reveals the history of the formation and development of the phenomenon of information warfare, from the works of Sun Tzu, Herodotus, and Machiavelli to the main information conflicts of our time, such as the confrontation between Russia and the West, as well as the Arab-Israeli conflict. The article describes in detail the features of the information front of the Crimean War of 1853–1856, the First World War of 1914–1918, the Second World War of 1939–1945, as well as the Cold War between the USSR and the USA of 1946–1991. In addition, the article analyzes the main trends of modern information warfare, as well as characteristics that have remained unchanged for centuries. The topic of this article seems more relevant than ever in connection with the intensification of information confrontation that occurred after the start of the special military operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in February 2022 and the aggravation of the situation in the Ukraine south-east. Despite the fact that the roots of such a global and multidimensional phenomenon as information warfare go back centuries, many theoretical models developed by thinkers of the past can be applied to explain the current conflict. In this regard, it appears crucial and timely to summarize the experience of research on this topic by many generations of thinkers and describe concepts and ideas, as well as views and notions about the subject of this research throughout history, formulating a systematic understanding of the issue of information confrontation on the basis of the summarized material.