MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. Russia has recorded a manyfold increase in information attacks since the start of the special military operation, noting that they are aimed at splitting Russia from within, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Alexey Shevtsov said on Tuesday.

"Since the start of the special military operation, we have recorded an increase in data attacks by several times as they are specifically aimed at destabilizing interethnic and interreligious relations," Shevtsov said addressing the ‘International Week of the Peoples of Russia’ session.

"Their goal was quite obvious and understandable and it was not just about discrediting the country as it was an attempt to split our multinational state from within. This isn't just about fakes, it’s about a targeted [disinformation] policy," he continued.

According to Shevtsov, this disinformation is carried out through the media, with the support of non-governmental organizations.

He cited as an example the British Institute for the Study of War and Peace Reporting and its subsidiary the Central Asian Analytical Reporting Bureau, as well as the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg and the Center for European and Eurasian Studies at Stanford.

"Their task was to create destructive narratives and then, through various channels - including the media, NGOs, social networks and pseudo-experts - broadcast them to a wide audience," Shevtsov noted.

The official pointed out that these "preventive measures" had been taken order to counter the Russian side’s information influence operations while a number of foreign-based organizations have been declared undesirable with their Russian proteges designated as foreign agents.

"Fake news are exposed, in particular by the TASS news agency, the ANO "Dialogue," and the "New Media Workshop. The Global Fact-Checking Network [GFCN] has been established as well," Shevtsov added.

The International Week "Peoples of Russia" is being held under a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and coincides with National Unity Day, celebrated on November 4. The event is coordinated by the Russian Security Council Office. Discussions will focus on the unity of the peoples, historical memory and continuity between generations, service to the Fatherland and responsibility for its future, and strong families.

The International Week gathers representatives of government bodies, international organizations, the business, academic and expert communities, as well as cultural and public figures from Russia. It will also host around 50 participants from 35 countries, both near and far abroad, including countries deemed unfriendly by Russia. TASS is the event’s strategic information partner.