The relentless Russian operatives, echoing the tactics of Joseph Goebbels and Félicien Kabuga, are ramping up their information warfare. Their activities span from meddling in U.S. elections and funding Western bloggers to showcasing a film at the Cannes Film Festival that portrays “ordinary good Russian guys” disillusioned by the war.
The Russian propaganda machine, perpetually in motion, ensures that countering its efforts offers no prospect of ultimate triumph—merely an “eternal struggle.” As key events, such as U.S. elections, draw near, the intensity of this confrontation only heightens.
Interference in the U.S. elections and bloggers playing the victim
On September 4, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the State Department broadened their sanctions list, targeting individuals and organisations linked to Moscow’s efforts to sway the outcome of American presidential elections and erode public trust in electoral processes and government institutions.
The sanctions encompass the media conglomerate “Rossiya Segodnya” and its five subsidiaries—RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik—as well as ten individuals, including Margarita Simonyan. The editor-in-chief of RT, described as a “central figure in the Russian government’s malign influence operations,” remarked: “They’ve finally woken up,” acknowledging that the measures appear to be at least two years overdue.
Russian propagandists wield a diverse arsenal that includes deep fakes, AI-generated disinformation, and the recruitment of American influencers, often unwittingly. Notably, RT employees Konstantin Kalashnikov and Olena Afanasieva have, in the past year, funnelled nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based company for producing online content infused with Russian narratives.
This activity is likely connected to Tenet Media, described as a “network of unorthodox commentators focusing on Western political and cultural issues” and identified by Forbes as far-right. Prominent figures include Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, Matt Christiansen, and Tayler Hansen. These bloggers engage with U.S. domestic and foreign policy topics—ranging from immigration and inflation to aid for Ukraine—often characterising such support as unwarranted extravagance and advocating for its reduction.
Following the exposure of the Russian connection, most commentators have publicly denied any awareness of the channel’s ties to Russia or any editorial influence on their views. Benny Johnson claimed on X that “he and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme,” while Tayler Hansen argued that accusations of the hosts being Russian agents were a deliberate misrepresentation.
Over the past year, nearly 2,000 videos were published on the YouTube channel, amassing a total of 16 million views. The channel has now been shut down. It appears its aim was to influence the “desired outcome” in the contest between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Despite Putin’s own assertion that Harris’s election would be more advantageous for Russia, a senior U.S. intelligence official indicated that the Russia-sponsored content was designed to bolster Trump’s campaign.
In its latest move, the government has seized 32 internet domains linked to a Russian disinformation operation. According to a 300-page FBI report, these seizures are part of an extensive campaign to disseminate fake news targeting American politicians who support Ukraine in its war with Russia and to stoke divisions within American society. This effort was overseen by Sergey Kiriyenko, the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Administration.
In its ongoing battle against propaganda, the U.S. State Department has offered a $10 million reward or relocation for information on foreign interference in U.S. elections.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Dmitry Simes, a political scientist and host on Russia’s First Channel who also holds U.S. citizenship, along with his wife, with evading U.S. sanctions and laundering the proceeds. They face up to 60 years in prison. Simes contends that the charges are an act of retaliation by the Biden administration for his pro-Russian views.
The Washington Post has unveiled an investigative exposé detailing a Kremlin-led campaign that has flooded social media with thousands of articles, posts, and comments. This campaign aims to promote American isolationism, stoke fears about U.S. border security, and exacerbate economic and racial tensions within the United States. Meanwhile, The Hill reported remarks from Mike Turner, Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, who highlighted the troubling presence of Russian propaganda even within Congress.
Art serving Russian propaganda
A troubling development occurred on September 5, with the screening of the Russian propaganda documentary Russians at War, directed by Anastasia Trofimova, at the Venice Film Festival. Ukrainian film critic Sonia Vseliubska pointed out that while the film aims to humanise Russian soldiers, it should instead focus on the harsh realities of war and the human cost. The film’s characters parrot Russian state narratives without any critical reflection on their role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nor do they display any remorse or self-examination.
This piece of propaganda was showcased alongside Ukrainian director Olha Zhurba’s movie Songs of Slow Burning Earth, which documents the plight of Ukrainian prisoners of war detained by Russia.
The conventional Western approach of featuring representatives from conflicting nations on the same platform to demonstrate artistic or intellectual neutrality has failed to prove its worth, especially two years after the full-scale invasion. The narrative constructed by Western intellectuals, which frames the war as Putin’s rather than a broader Russian aggression against Ukraine, does not withstand rigorous scrutiny and evidence.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the screening of Russians at War, a Russian propaganda film directed by Anastasia Trofimova, which was showcased at the Venice Film Festival on September 5. Ukraine’s Ambassador to Italy, Yaroslav Melnyk, criticised the film for its sympathetic portrayal of the aggressor while belittling the victims of aggression despite the significant loss of Ukrainian lives and the widespread suffering inflicted by Russian forces. He also highlighted Trofimova’s previous collaboration with Russia Today.
The film is slated to be shown at an international film festival in Canada, prompting the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto to lodge a formal protest, particularly as the film was shot in occupied territories. Ukrainian producer Darya Bassel has denounced the film as offering a grossly distorted depiction of reality, perpetuating misleading narratives. These include labelling the Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea as a civil war, denying war crimes committed by the Russian army, and portraying the aggressor’s forces as victims.
The Canadian premiere’s announcement presents a misleading narrative, suggesting that the film’s characters ultimately come to realise that “everything they heard about the war in Russian media is a lie. They begin to question their purpose—and fight only for survival.”
In an interview, the director sought to justify her approach by stating her aim was to uncover the truth about Russian soldiers. “In Russian media, soldiers are depicted as heroes, almost like faceless mannequins. In Western media, they are all portrayed as rapists and murderers. But how can you truly understand a person without engaging with them?” the filmmaker contends. “Since February 24, 2022, when our world was turned upside down, my primary ambition and life’s work has been to comprehend and document our new reality of war. I wanted to capture this chapter in history, where we all find ourselves and the individuals within it. There is a striking dearth of in-depth material about this war from the Russian side of the front—essential for our historical record and self-understanding.”
The director appears baffled by criticisms concerning the appropriateness of “humanising” Russian occupiers, invoking Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, which incited genocide during the Rwandan conflict, as a comparison. She maintains that now is not the moment for taking sides, asserting, “If a person chooses a side, they are for the war.” Nonetheless, Anastasia Trofimova insists that her stance is for peace and that her intention is to reveal the shared humanity between people.
Ukraine has repeatedly urged an end to granting Russia an international cultural platform, which it uses to sanitise its crimes or to facilitate dialogue between the warring parties in the name of understanding and reconciliation. The voices of Russian aggressors, Ukraine argues, should be heard in a courtroom at The Hague, not on the global stage.
Russia’s multi-front information war
Every year, the Russian Federation allocates over one billion dollars to its propaganda efforts. Analysts at the London-based think tank RUSI contend that Russia is winning the global information war. The reach of its interests extends well beyond the destabilisation of Europe and North America, touching the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Through substantial investments in its operations, Russia has made troubling inroads in the Global South. It was only after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that the West began to grasp the full extent of the threat posed by Russian information influence.
Even a country like Ukraine, which is deeply familiar with Russia’s tactics, must constantly exert significant effort to counteract these information operations. This summer, the SBU uncovered a network linked to Viktor Medvedchuk’s pro-Russian political project, “Another Ukraine,” which specialised in information sabotage targeting the Ukrainian Armed Forces and government. Their primary messages centred on urging an end to resistance against the aggressor.
The recent electoral success of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony and Thuringia may be partially attributed to years of pro-Russian messaging. The FBI has already highlighted Germany as a key target for Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining support for Ukraine, damaging NATO’s credibility, and bolstering the AfD’s standing.
