Russian influencers anticipate turmoil in the U.S. following a power shift
Both Russia’s official opinion leaders and Telegram influencers are eagerly focused on the question of who will make the first move in mutual communication following Donald Trump’s election victory—the Russian or the U.S. president. Telegram posts reveal the influencers’ desire and hope that the power shift in the U.S. will lead to a divisive conflict within the country.
Moldova Wins, the Kremlin Loses
Moldovan President Maia Sandu secured victory in the second round of elections yesterday with a 55:45 win over former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite an extensive Kremlin-backed influence campaign. “Sandu’s victory is crucial for Moldova’s journey toward freeing itself from the grip of pro-Kremlin oligarchs and gradually transforming into a prosperous European society,” said Tiina Ilsen, an advisor to the Moldovan government, to Propastop.
From Trash Trucks to Memes: How Trump’s Stunts Fuel Political Satire
Donald Trump’s real-life stints on a trash van and in a McDonald’s kitchen became meme gold mine. Halloween and the U.S. election season have sparked a wave of memes, blending humor and satire. Propastop highlights the week’s best, capturing the fusion of culture, politics, and internet creativity.
Miltton’s study: On the resilience of social cohesion in the face of crises.
Estonian people are not satisfied with the changes and developments taking place in the world around them, note analysts from Miltton, the leading Nordic consulting firm. This creates uncertainty about their ability to cope and leads to resistance, for example, to government decisions. Uncertainty and distrust, in turn, create fertile ground for information warfare attacks and the spread of misinformation in Estonia.
Marian Männi: “This is how the Kremlin’s all-out attack on Moldova worked.”
The journalist Marian Männi, who lives in Moldova, personally experienced what modern fake campaigns are like. A fake video was published of her husband, Moldova’s Minister of Economy, in which he is shown sitting at a table covered with cocaine lines, surrounded by naked women. Propastop publishes Marian Männi’s reflection on the election campaign that fell victim to the Kremlin’s all-out attack.
Ukraine’s Nuclear Meme Wave
Twitter was abuzz with nuclear weapons memes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine’s security hinges on either joining NATO or acquiring nuclear weapons.
Propastop has collected the best of them for you.
What Unites and Distinguishes the Border Cities of Narva and Daugavpils?
Ilze Kuzmina, a journalist from the Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avīze, decided to visit and compare the three cities in the Baltic states with the largest Russian-speaking populations. Propastop is publishing today Kuzmina’s comparison of the information consumption and attitudes of the residents of Narva, Estonia, and Daugavpils, Latvia.
The National Library recommends: “Why do rational people believe irrational things?”
Since one of Propastop’s goals is to enhance people’s knowledge in the field of psychological defense, we are starting a collaboration with the National Library to introduce specialized literature. In this section, RaRa’s media literacy specialist Kateryna Botnar will provide a more detailed overview of a selected work, and at the end of the article, you will find references to the latest publications on disinformation that have arrived at RaRa.
“Stand up, children, in a Z shape”—how Russia brainwashes the next generation of its citizens
Since 2022, Russian education has shifted towards a military agenda. New subjects have been introduced, and propaganda targeting children has intensified. Comics about the “heroism” of soldiers, meetings with veterans, and their involvement in schools are used to shape youth loyalty and nationalism. Propastop analyzes how the Russian education system shapes the “correct” views in young people and why it does so.
1944: Tallinn “Liberated” by the Red Army – Were the ‘Liberators’ Given Flowers or Shot At?
This year, Russian propaganda attempted to generate interest in the anniversary of the “liberation of Tallinn” by publishing previously classified archival documents. In the beginning of Lieutenant General Holodov’s report, Tallinn residents are depicted welcoming the Red Army with flowers, but by the third page, it is revealed that “in the first two days following the liberation of Tallinn by our troops, there were incidents where our commanders and soldiers were shot at from around corners and from windows. In Paide, a Red Army tankist was shot dead near one of the houses.”
Kremlin’s Grip on Moldova: Criminal Oligarchs and Church Sway Elections
On October 20, Moldova will simultaneously hold presidential elections and a referendum on joining the European Union. The Kremlin is attacking pro-European President Maia Sandu with the help of oligarch Ilan Shor, who stole one billion dollars from the banks of the impoverished small nation, and the Orthodox Church. Today, Propastop describes how the elections are being influenced.
A Brief Guide to Estonian War Bloggers
Propastop analyzed four of the most well-known war bloggers: Igor Taro, Teet Kalmus, Rainer Saks, and Artur Rehi.
We focused on the sources of information the blogger uses, the media environment in which they operate, their primary motivation, and the style of the blog—whether they simply relay information or attempt to create a mood.
Note! The analysis also reveals interesting sources of information that these war bloggers use on a daily basis.
Television Series as a Tool in Information Warfare: Depicting China’s Invasion of Taiwan
A recently released TV series, produced with the support of the Taiwanese government, has garnered worldwide attention. It portrays the invasion of Taiwan, a country with 23 million people, by China, a nation of 1.4 billion. Taiwan’s example has raised the question on Propastop: is it also reasonable for Estonia to create its own warning series about a possible Russian invasion?
Numerous. But how capable? What is the state of the Belarusian army in 2024?
Belarus’ President Lukashenko, known for his aggressive stance, recently threatened a “pre-emptive strike” against Lithuania. Amid rising tensions, Belarus is massing troops, tanks, and artillery near Ukraine’s northern border under the guise of exercises, with former Wagner troops also reported in the area. Lukashenko claims the buildup, involving a third of his army, stems from a “misunderstanding” with Ukraine.
In light of this, Propastop offers an assessment of the real combat capabilities of the Belarusian army.
Facebook as a propaganda minefield
On Facebook, Russia is waging a quiet but powerful campaign to rebuild its crumbling image. Suddenly, alongside your friend’s birthday photos, you might notice a surge of posts celebrating Russia’s military, culture, and natural beauty. But who’s behind this unexpected content? Propastop takes a closer look, uncovering the hidden networks driving these pages—and the revelations might surprise you. Dive into the story to discover what’s really going on behind your feed.
The international press amplifies Kaitseliit’s message: “We will kill as many invaders as possible.”
Estonians have long viewed themselves as targets of Russia’s ongoing hybrid pressure. However, the actions of Kaitseliit clearly demonstrate to our NATO allies our unwavering commitment to national defense, serving as a strong deterrent against Russian aggression. This is underscored by the significant interest from international media, with over 30 prominent outlets having visited Kaitseliit this year alone. Propastop offers a detailed overview of this global media attention.
Most Important Political Messages of the Paris Olympic Games
The Olympic Games are a significant event in global politics, showcasing the strength of nations in international competition and providing a sense of pride and confidence to people facing difficult times. Propastop highlights eight examples of the political winners and losers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We begin with Ukraine, which, despite the ongoing war, performed more successfully in Paris 2024 than it did in Tokyo 2021.
Best memes reflecting situation in Kursk region
Today, Propastop dives into the situation in Russia and the Kursk region with 15 witty memes. One of the highlights? President Vladimir Putin claims Russia has no defined borders, to which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cheekily responds, “Well, if you insist!”
Who was the Russian war blogger “Beliy” killed in the desert?
In late July, the Russian war blogger Nikita Fedyanin (29), known by his alias “Beliy,” met a grim fate in northern Mali. His meteoric rise in the media world has captivated Russian propaganda analysts. Fedyanin’s Telegram channel, Grey Zone, gained significant notoriety as a key platform for transmitting messages from the notorious Wagner Group leaders Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin.
The Baltic’s exit from the common energy system causes discontent in the Kremlin
The official announcement of the Baltic States’ departure from the unified energy system with Russia and Belarus increases our energy independence, which irritates the Kremlin. “This political decision can be costly for the Baltics, leading to price increases and energy crises, as well as economic downturns and street protests,” claimed the business newspaper Vzglyad.
Donald Trump’s Happy Accident in 8 Viral Memes
The top event in the world last week was definitely the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. This happy accident inspired many meme creators worldwide, and Propastop today offers a small overview of their work. If you have noticed any interesting memes, please send them to Propastop at the address: [email protected]!
How does a Churchill Fellowship researcher evaluate Estonia’s resilience?
Churchill Fellowship researcher Beth Lambert has recently published a study titled “Effective Cross-Society Combat Against Disinformation Campaigns” as a result of her extensive work. Propastop publishes Lambert’s description of the situation in Estonia because the research outcome provides an interesting, impartial assessment of Estonia’s achievements and readiness to combat foreign information manipulation and interference.
8 memes that made social media laugh
The turbulent political events of recent weeks have provided plenty of material for meme creators to showcase their wit. The Propastop editorial team has compiled a selection of memes about Kaja Kallas, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, as well as Viktor Orbán’s visit to Moscow.
Narrative X-ray: Playing with the Open Cards
The Kremlin’s bundle of narratives, including special operations, denazification, stopping the persecution of Russians, protecting the “Russian world”, the “historical truth” about the non-existence of Ukraine, fighting against the aggression of the collective West, etc., changes according to the circumstances, but now it has come down to playing with open cards, to stating your true intentions. The reason for this is probably to secure a better position in future negotiations.
Russian propaganda presents the occupied Avdiivka as a great success
An analysis by the think tank Atlantic Council found that during the war in Ukraine, Russian propaganda on Telegram has been spread five times more than before the war. Therefore, Propastop is providing an overview today of how Kremlin propaganda is turning this year’s modest military success into a great success story on Telegram.
Russia is increasingly conducting brainwashing attacks in Africa
Although the Russian Federation has been waging a draining war against Ukraine for the third year, our eastern neighbor has increased the organization of disinformation campaigns in Africa. It is important for Estonia to balance Russia’s and China’s disinformation campaigns, emphasizes Ambassador Daniel Schaer.
Narrative X-ray: did NATO promise Russia not to expand eastwards?
Russia’s narrative of Western promises to limit the expansion of NATO is a sophisticated manipulation of history. This narrative isn’t just a historical footnote, but a strategic weapon. It’s aimed at preventing the expansion of NATO and legitimizing Russia’s interventions, particularly in Ukraine. However, due to Russia’s aggressive behavior, including its invasion of Ukraine, it has lost resonance in Western circles. Nevertheless, this narrative thrives as a key component of the Kremlin’s propaganda machine in Russia, perpetuating mistrust of the West and reinforcing Russia’s self-image as a victim of broken promises.
How Kremlin propaganda is trying to turn Poland against Ukraine
Although Poland’s relations with Russia have almost never been warm, according to recent surveys, only 2% of Poles view Russia positively. This sentiment is fueled by Russian attacks, and today Propastop describes the three most significant malicious narratives that Russia directs against Poland.
Narrative X-ray: Does Russia want peace?
Russia claims it wants peace and is not to blame for starting wars, but the facts show that the narrative systematically repeated by key Kremlin figures is false. In the same way, Russia’s calls for peace with Ukraine are hollow, because fulfilling the conditions set as its basis would mean suicide for Ukraine.