Sergey Sukhankin
As Russia’s war with Ukraine continues, Russian disinformation campaigns are being unveiled across Europe. In September, a consortium of European media outlets leaked records of the operations of the Social Design Agency, a Moscow-based company reportedly leading Russia’s propaganda campaign (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, September 17). Russia conducts disinformation campaigns through various mediums, predominately on social media through memes, fake accounts, and falsified content. On May 15, an EU briefing in Brussels declared that Russia remains the most significant threat regarding the spread of anti-EU disinformation, primarily through the manipulation and weaponization of information (X.com/VeraJourova; DW, May 15). Because Russia perceives the European Union as politically and socially divided, economically stagnant, and a weak military entity, Moscow will continue, and even strengthen, its anti-EU disinformation campaign in the near future. As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues and Europeans become tired of the prolonged conflict, fewer people will be engaged and thus more susceptible to disinformation coming from Russia.
Being a target of a Russian disinformation campaign is nothing new to the European Union. Since 2015, EU officials and disinformation experts have traced over 17,000 instances of Russian-generated anti-EU propaganda. The first half of 2024 was marked by 1,500 cases alone. According to EU officials, Russia’s current disinformation campaign revolves around three key ideas: the spread of anti-Ukrainian agendas; anti-EU themes and narratives; and the glorification of Russia, its military-political leadership, diplomacy, and economic “achievements” (DW, May 15).
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