Selim Ibraimi– As the war in Ukraine continues relentlessly, the Russian Federation has changed its tactics. They are manipulating public opinion across the EU and beyond. The EU last week condemned Russia’s actions to manipulate information in EU countries, the Balkans, and elsewhere. Senior officials of the union have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of improper actions with tendencies to destabilize Europe. The EU Diplomatic Service (EEAS) announced that several countries condemn Russia’s continued attempts. These countries are the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Romania. They are manipulating the information space of democratic societies.
For our readers, we should remind them that “foreign information manipulation and interference” refers to deliberate and coordinated efforts. These efforts are made by state or non-state actors to manipulate information spaces. Their goal is to achieve political, security, and other objectives. Information manipulation has been and continues to be a key part of Russian activities.
Senior Western officials are concerned about a disinformation campaign. They believe it is creating distrust among the public. It is also deepening ethnic-religious divisions. Meanwhile, in fragile democracies, Russian information manipulation has affected democratic decision-making.
“The best way to counter such malicious activities remains the same. We must expose them and provide facts and truths. Supporting an independent press is also crucial,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaila Kallas.
Other EU institutions have also reacted to the strengthening of Russian propaganda and disinformation. MEPs said that Russia’s war in Ukraine was unjustified and illegal. According to them, Russian disinformation poses a real threat. MEPs voted in favor of sanctions against Russian media outlets. They also focused on strengthening fact-checking rules. Additionally, they rejected Russian attempts to justify the war against Kyiv. The European Parliament made a call to the European Commission (EC). They want the EC to strictly enforce the “Digital Services Act”. This is to counter the recent relaxation of moderation rules by major social media companies. They expressed their deep concern. They worry that this latest development will further enable Russia’s disinformation campaign. It spread across the EU and the Balkans.
In this regard, the general public has heard little about the Russian disinformation campaign called “Doppelganger”. This is the name of the program that the Russian government and agencies have built to “infect” the non-Russian public. The Russian company “Social Design Agency” (SDA) activated the Russian program in public in 2022. They also launched it on social media and online platforms. It has targeted Ukraine, Germany, France, and the US with the sole purpose of undermining support for Ukraine. This same program was widely circulated on Russia Today and Sputnik a few days ago. It was manipulating the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. In this new campaign of Russian disinformation, speculation has increased about former American officials from the former Biden administration. This happened after the US elections.
International affairs are evolving. US President Donald Trump has arrived at the head of the White House. It is very unlikely that the Russian campaign will be stopped. Sputnik mocked the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the UK. It sent messages questioning how long London would pay for Zelenskyy’s war. This strengthened the narrative against Ukraine in Western opinion. In Slovakia and Serbia, despite the protests, the aforementioned Russian media have used the techniques of “Doppelganger”. They have managed to create a stable image for the government of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. They have also created a stable image for Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
The posts of Russian media broadcasting in English show some noticeable features. They use new methods from a program implemented in 2022. They are making recent edits to videos. They strengthen comments on photos and videos when the effect is desired. At the same time, they extract quotes from interviews or statements of officials to support certain policies. The Russian government, along with the entire security apparatus and media, has moved to a more advanced level of disinformation. This goes beyond traditional forms that people already know. These forms are known in regions such as the EU, Great Britain, the US, and the Balkans. With the possibility of changing the course of the war, misinformation will take another form. The prospect of peace in Ukraine will also influence the misinformation from Russia and other actors.
The battle between Russia and the EU will continue. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s latest statement reveals much. It includes the Balkans. The US foreign policy is undergoing rapid and radical changes. As a result, Russia will change its propaganda methods in the coming months. It will adapt to current international issues. The focus will be on regional problems. A series of disinformation and special operations include the Balkans.
The article was written specifically for Portalb.mk. The publication rights are reserved only for Portalb.mk and the author, according to the agreement between them.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.