The article analyses crisis communication and media relations of the Department of Information of the President of Russia for years 2000-2004 during the counterterrorist operation in Chechen Republic. The findings are based on official documents and media messages.

1. Crisis Communication
under Terrorist Threat: a
Case Study of
Counterterrorist Operation
in Chechnya
Elena Gryzunova
Ph.D. Student,
Moscow State Institute of International
Relations (MGIMO-University), Russia.
Paper presented at the 4th European
Communication Conference, Istanbul, 25.10.2012
© Elena Gryzunova, 2012
Intellectual property. No part can be reproduced without a reference to the author
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2. Terrorism is violence that
consists in itself a threat of
more violence designed to
cause social disruption, panic
and victimization within the
community for the purpose of
political change.
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3. Characteristics of
Modern Terrorism
Civil targets,
Widespread
mass
in the
victimizatio
cyberspace n
Religious
motivation,
Internationa use of
l or global distorted
Islamic
terms
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4. Terrorism as Communication:
the Role of Traditional Media
“Terrorism is aimed at the people watching, not at
the actual victims. Terrorism is theater”. (Brian M.
Jenkins, 1974)
THE MASS
MEDIA
Terror act is an ideal
media product
widely
broadcasted
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5. Communication Circle of
Terrorism
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6. Antiterrorist Governmental
Media Policy
Forming a loyal terrorism-reporting press pool.
Development of consensus communicational strategies.
Education, not victimization. Alert, not panic.
Joint media/government simulation trainings.
Designation of a spokesperson responsible for governmental
antiterrorist communication.
Creation of a special media center.
Being premium newsmaker omnipresent in the news field.
Joint media/ government control of interpretations and of verbal
designations.
Restrictions for: 1) live and unedited interviews with terrorists, 2)
secret details of counter-terror and hostage-release operations, 3)
intimidating details.
Soft control by means of exclusive information.
Partnership and two-way communication: using the media as the
source of information.
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7. Terrorism as Communication:
the Role of New Media
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8. Terrorism and Islam:
Misconceptions and
Communication Traps
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9. Levels of Social Disruption and its
Prevention
LEVEL TERRORISM GOVERNMENT
•distrust to the authorities •forming patriotism, civil consciousness
•political extremism and confidence
Individual as •political apathy •image making
a citizen •wish to change the state system or •news making and response to
leave the country disinformation
mass fear, inadequate perception of •informing of terror manipulative
Individual as reality, panic, apathy, spontaneous mechanisms
aggression •psychological rehabilitation
a personality •general preventive measures: ethical and
educational
hostility, conflicts, violence, genocide, •disclaiming terrorists’ support of any
Groups and separatism social group
•general preventive measures: inter-group
group dialogue and consolidative ideas
behavior
total demolition of a social structure: complex measures on all the previous
revolutions, civil wars levels
Society
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10. The Crisis Paradigm
Crisis is an unpredictable perceived
disruption of a social unit which
threatens its integrity, reputation or
survival, challenges the public’s sense of
safety, values or appropriateness and
requires immediate action under the
circumstances of uncertainty, urgency
and increased attention.
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11. Terrorism as a Crisis:
the Classification Variations
A form of crisis of malevolence (Lerbinger;
Coombs)
A conflict crisis (Quarantelli) or a mixed
conflict-consensus crisis (Peek, Sutton)
Political and social crisis (Morozova et al.)
Terrorism crisis as a special type (Shrivastava).
Terrorism crises “evolve end emerge as economic,
social and political processes over time"; provoke both
physical and social disruptions; require the design and
development of special systems for terrorism crisis
communications.
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12. Genesis and Extension of a Crisis
 A crisis can have either an objective or a subjective
reason. It can be based on a real event as well as on
a rumor or a willful disinformation.The objective
and subjective sides are interconnected so the crisis
extends on both.
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13. 13

14. A Case Study of Counterterrorist
Operation in Chechnya
Russian Counterterrorist
Communication Strategy 2000-2004:
integrated crisis communication system
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15. 15

16. Integrated Crisis Communication System:
Organizational Structure
Hierarchy within the Social net cooperation with
governmental structure other organizations
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17. 17

18. 18

19. 19

20. Framing the counterterrorist operation
 Sense making (determination of the events’ parameters)
 Meaning making (definition of the situation)
TASKS:
- substantiate the necessity of the
counterterrorist operation;
- discredit the enemy;
- gain support of the Russian government by
different target audiences;
- improve the image of the Russian army;
- respond to any threats in the information
field
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21. Status of the Chechen Republic
- the status of the Chechen Republic as a
constituent entity of the Russian Federation,
the integral part of the country;
- the Russian authorities follow the basic
principle of territorial integrity of a State;
- Russia’s actions correspond to the
Constitution, national and international laws
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22. The Mission of the Counterterrorist
Operation
WAR ON TERRORISM COUNTERTERRORIST
OPERATION
 The media and the citizens were against wars
 The term “war” provides the terrorists with equal political
status
THE MISSION:
- liquidation if the illegal armed groups;
- ensuring security of the Russian citizens;
- re-establishment of the constitutional order on the territory
of the Chechen Republic
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23. Sense Making: Threat Determination
FORMULATION OF THREATS SUSTAINED BY
FACTS:
- the threat to the sovereignty and the
integrity of the Russian Federation;
- the threat to the security of Russian and
foreign citizens;
- the transnational threat of proliferation of
terrorism, crime and drug traffic;
- the threat to basic values such as democracy
and human rights
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24. Meaning Making: Identity Attribution of
Terrorists
• ARMED GANGS
• THE CHECHEN
• TERRORIST ACTS
ARMY
• EXTREMISTS
• GUERRILLA WAR
• TERRORISTS
• ISLAMISTS
• MEMBERS OF THE
• WAHHABIS
• ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS ILLEGAL ARMED
GROUPS USING
SLOGANS OF ISLAM
(WAHHABISM) AS
COVER
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25. Table of contents
 Terrorism
 Characteristics of Modern Terrorism
 Terrorism as Communication: the Role of Traditional Media
 Communication Circle of Terrorism
 Antiterrorist Governmental Media Policy
 Terrorism as Communication: the Role of New Media
 Terrorism and Islam: Misconceptions and Communication Traps
 Levels of Social Disruption and its Prevention
 The Crisis Paradigm
 Terrorism as a Crisis: the Classification Variations
 Genesis and Extension of a Crisis
 Crisis Life Cycle
 A Case Study of Counterterrorist Operation in Chechnya
 First Chechen Campaign / Counterterrorist Operation
 Integrated Crisis Communication System: Organizational Structure
 Organizational Structure 2
 The Information Policy Department of the President’s Administration
 Field Crisis Communication Centers
 Framing the Counterterrorist Operation
 Status of the Chechen Republic
 The Mission of the Counterterrorist Operation
 Sense Making: Threat Determination
 Meaning Making: Identity Attribution of Terrorists
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26. Thank you for your attention!
Contact information:
Elena Gryzunova
Moscow, Russia
Moscow State Institute of International Relations
(MGIMO-University)
+7-916-607-2770
+7-926-170-7334
Mail2.elena@mail.ru
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