Dayuhan,

I think many in the West mistake themselves as the target audience for Russia's information operations through its mainstream media. How many Americans actually read/watch Russia Today, Interfax, and so on? I don't think the Russians are so incompetent as to not recognize that. During the Cold War, the Russians were more subtle by penetrating Western media outlets that they knew were well received by Western audiences; influencing reporters, sending in opinion pieces, and so on. Why would that strategy have changed now? The conspiracy theories spun by Russian-originated media IMO is aimed at the Russian audience.