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.

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.

New Russian children’s movie Cheburashka raises ethical concerns

Russian cartoon character Cheburashka preaches peace and friendship, even while its cast members support Russia’s genocidal war.

The problems with Politico’s report on EU defence reimbursements to Estonia

A report by Politico cites anonymous EU diplomats unhappy with the level of EU funding to help Estonia reinvest in defence equipment. However, their claims raise more questions than the ones they intended.

Google’s motto is ‘don’t be evil’, but its news results have a problem

Headlines displayed by Google News are highly trusted and spread fast. Yet Google’s algorithms can’t always tell the difference between journalism and propaganda, as shown by a review of results about Estonia in English.

Who are the NAFO ‘fellas’ fighting misinformation online?

An online community based around dog memes has become an unlikely thorn in the side of Kremlin propagandists.

Russia’s war on Ukraine is not a game – but some game developers are trying to make it one

Video games enabling children to wage war in Ukraine have appeared online. Children need to understand the context behind this simulated violence.

6 of the best YouTubers to follow to understand Russia’s war on Ukraine

Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine has generated a wave of new YouTube stars dedicated to exposing the reality behind Kremlin propaganda.

Kremlin propagandist leaves channel after admitting mockery of Estonia doesn’t work

The host of Время покажет (“Time will tell”), Artyom Sheinin, went viral online after his criticism of Russian propaganda in the context of Russia’s failures in Ukraine.

Why propagandists are battling to redefine ‘vatnik’

‘Vatnik’ was first defined by Russians as a jingoistic follower of their government’s propaganda. Some people are trying to make you think otherwise.