Minister of Justice and Home Affairs Morgan Johansson (SocDem) announced at a press conference that the government in the forthcoming spring amendment budget will propose that the Agency for Psychological Defense receive a supplement of SEK 10 million to strengthen the public's ability to resist advocacy and disinformation.
- The Russian propaganda machine has pumped out crazy lies about the background to the war in Ukraine, says Morgan Johansson.
- And this type of false propaganda is directed not only inwards towards one's own population but also outwards towards other countries.
No increase
MFP's director general Henrik Landerholm, who was also present at the press conference, says that it is no secret that the war in Ukraine and the security situation it has brought has increased the probability of advocacy campaigns against Sweden.
- Russia's invasion of Ukraine increases the motives for influencing Swedish opinion, says Henrik Landerholm.
So far during the war, no significant increase in advocacy campaigns against Sweden has been seen, he says.
- The impact has not increased and our assessment is that the forces used for it are now used in other geographical locations.
Planning countermeasures
What MFP works with to meet attempts at advocacy campaigns is information and education.
- We also plan countermeasures with other actors, both within and outside the country.
But overall, Henrik Landerholm thinks that Sweden has good conditions for facing misinformation.
- Sweden's population has a high resilience and high knowledge of the media.
Thus, the conditions are good.