Putin’s propganda in Africa – oppose the West

Russia’s propaganda campaign in Africa, which portrays its war in Ukraine as a conflict with the West, strategically exploits anti-Western sentiments deeply embedded in Africa’s colonial history. Simultaneously, Russia has disseminated disinformation that paints Ukraine as a racist nation. It’s worth noting that Russia itself, despite these claims, has its own challenges with issues of racial discrimination, as it remains a colonial power, and its society struggles with accepting people of different skin colors. What can and should the West do about this?

Russian propaganda in popular video games

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has seeped into popular video games like Minecraft and Roblox, where pro-Kremlin propaganda has found a platform. These games, along with discussion platforms like Discord and Steam, have become channels for propagating pro-Kremlin messages, primarily targeting younger audiences.

I speak Russian – therefore I am Russian?

The short answer is: not necessarily. Ethnicity and language are closely related, but there are other factors that must be considered. It’s important to recognize that speaking Russian as one’s native language does not automatically equate to being ethnically or culturally Russian. In many cases, the prevalence of Russian as a native language in countries formerly … Continue reading I speak Russian – therefore I am Russian?

“Ukrainization” has become a dog whistle for Kremlin supporters

Both “Deukrainianization” and “Ukrainization” are used by Kremlin propagandists. One reveals the true goal of Russia’s war, the other attempts distorts an existing word to erode opposition to Russia’s war. Both need to be understood together.

Why there’s no “fifth column” in Estonia

It’s time to put aside talk of a “fifth column”, says the head of Estonia’s Internal Security Service, because mother tongue, nor even citizenship, determines political views.

The Kremlin is quietly dropping its “denazification” line

Kremlin propaganda began depicting Ukrainians as Nazis in 2014, although there is little coherence to Putin’s narrative about denazifying Ukraine – so the term appears increasingly less frequently.

Screenshots of fake news articles are on the rise across social media

Headlines are impactful. Propagandists know that most people who see the screenshot of a headline on social media won’t investigate to see if the actual article was ever really published.

Narrative X-Ray: Russia’s ‘nuclear fist’

Russia threatens nuclear war with increasing frequency, partly to distract from discussing the progress of its war against Ukraine. In our second Narrative X-Ray, we discuss how Russia developed its ‘nuclear fist’ and what else it aims to achieve with this rhetoric.

How the Kremlin uses graffiti as propaganda

An American woman arrested in Michigan for a series of hate crime incidents turned out to be a supporter of Russia, not Ukraine as her graffiti implied. Journalists are still missing the bigger story.

Narrative X-Ray: russkii mir (russian world)

The concept of a ‘russian world’ is increasingly promoted by the Kremlin, underpinning much of its propaganda. We explore where it came from, how it’s used by propagandists, and what it hopes to achieve.