About the Forum
Over the past two years, FIMI has shifted from isolated disinformation campaigns to coordinated, AI-enabled operations that combine narrative manipulation, cyber disruption, economic pressure, and reputational attacks — often running simultaneously. The threat is no longer niche. It targets governments, democratic institutions, corporations, and civil society at the same time.
This forum brings together two focused days of expert-led sessions with 15+ speakers from leading research institutions, governments, and the security sector.
Day 1 — April 16 | FIMI: Trends, Tactics & the New Reality
Session 1: Opening Word — The State of FIMI
3:15 – 4:00 PM UK Time
Representatives of Osavul, DISARM, and CSD - Center for the Study of Democracy, and Counter Disinformation Network open the forum with a shared view of where the FIMI threat stands today — the tactics and strategies being deployed by hostile actors, and the tools being built to counter them.
Speakers: Dmytro Bilash, Stephen H. Campbell, Rositsa Dzhekova
Session 2: Global FIMI Trends and Tactics — The New Reality
4:00 – 5:00 PM UK Time
Leading researchers unpack the latest shifts in the global information threat environment. What are the most significant trends emerging right now? What role is AI playing in influence operations? And why are certain regions facing disproportionate FIMI pressure? The session grounds these questions in real cases and current data.
Speakers: Jakub Kalenský, Eto Buziashvili, Sopo Gelava, Mattia Caniglia
Session 3: Spotlight China — How Does Chinese FIMI Work?
5:00 – 6:00 PM UK Time
A dedicated session on China's information manipulation ecosystem — how Beijing's campaigns spread across Europe and beyond, which channels and actors drive them, and what building resilience against them actually requires.
Speakers: Kenton Thibaut, Saman Nazari, Sarah Cook, Joanna Nawrotkiewicz, Zuzana Košková
Day 2 — April 17 | Hybrid Warfare & Cyberattacks
Session 1: Hybrid Threats in 2026 — What You Need to Know
4:00 – 5:00 PM UK Time
Specialists in hybrid operations examine how state actors coordinate information attacks alongside physical, cyber, and economic pressure. The session covers the tactics and tools used to target public and private sector organisations — and how to detect and withstand them.
Speakers: Dmytro Bilash, Joana de Deus Pereira, Inês Narciso, Elizaveta Polyakova
Session 2: Cyberattacks — What’s New and What’s Next
5:00 – 6:00 PM UK Time
Cyber specialists trace how attacks have evolved in scale, sophistication, and their integration with influence operations. What does the current threat landscape look like for organisations facing state-level adversaries — and what does effective defence require?
Speakers: Ash Jackson, Artur Papyan
Who Should Attend
This forum is designed for those who deal with information threats professionally. Government analysts and policy advisors, security sector researchers, NGO and civil society representatives, and private sector specialists managing political and reputational risk will all find direct value in both days.
