Russia cannot be defeated on battlefield, needs better info security — Security Council

SAINT PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield, which is why its adversaries are actively using information technology to influence Russians, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexey Shevtsov said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Speaking at the Unity of Nations - National Security Foundation session, Shevtsov called the thesis that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield "absolutely correct." "And all the aspirations (of the West - TASS) - not only regarding Russia but also other countries - are aimed [at influence] exclusively from within. Look at the number of color revolutions that have occurred around the globe - a huge number. Therefore, this is one of the most serious dangers," the Russian Security Council deputy chief noted.

According to him, attempts at interference are "moderated, conducted through modern IT tools, social media, instant messaging, and all of this is coordinated using Starlink." "And we must first and foremost ensure our security and our sovereignty in the information sphere. Because if we don’t do this, someone else will," Shevtsov emphasized.

He quoted the ancient Roman philosopher Sallust, who said that "Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord." "In the 1940s, the then-fading empire, on which they themselves boasted the sun never sets, divided India and Pakistan," the Russian Deputy Security Council head said.

"We see that now, because of this division along ethno-confessional lines, conflicts continue to this day, just as Israel and Palestine were divided," Shevtsov noted.

"This 'divide and conquer' mentality is, unfortunately, very much a part of Western thinking," Shevtsov stated. He also drew attention to the negative processes occurring within Western countries themselves. "The France that great philosophers and poets admired, with its art and culture, has long since ceased to exist," the official said.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place on June 3-6. This year’s theme is "Pragmatic Dialogue: the Path to a Stable Future." The forum program is dedicated to shaping a new model of global development amid the ongoing transformation of the world economy.

The program includes the SME Forum, the Creative Industries Forum, the Day of the Future International Youth Economic Forum, and the Ensuring Drug Security Forum. As part of the cultural program, the Petersburg Seasons festival and the traditional SPIEF Sports Games will take place. This year, Russia’s national econo