Aim. The article presents an analysis of the attack on Russia’s “soft power” in the framework of the “Argentine Cocaine Case” information operation as a separate aspect of an information war in the context of a global conflict of centers of power. The role of the media both in the operation itself and in the process of creating and consolidating semantic labels is also studied. Methodology. The research uses methods of empirical knowledge and systems analysis. Results. The term “attack” is substantiated as applied to the negative impact on the “soft power” of Russia, the stages of the information operation are analyzed in detail, conclusions are formulated and recommendations to counteract such actions are given. Practical recommendations for coordinated actions of Russian state bodies to counter western information attacks and for creation of government structures to perform this function are presented. Research implications. The article is of practical value, it contains unique material, since in a given context the informational impact on the “soft power” of Russia has not been previously studied and presented in the literature.