Ukraine: Fighting the information war
How do you fight an enemy that hides behind Internet trolls and faked photos? NATOChannel meets some of the people calling out Russian disinformation on Ukraine: Stopfake, Ukraine Today, Kyiv Post.
Context
Stories in the ‘Context” section are not fakes. We publish them in order to provide greater insight for our readers about the techniques, methods and practices used by the Russian government in its information war.
Putin says Russia won’t be intimidated over Crimea
Russia will not be intimidated over its actions in Ukraine and Crimea, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday as his foreign ministry warned that it was preparing to retaliate against fresh Western sanctions. Both the European Union and United States adopted tighter restrictions on investments in Crimea this week, while Canada rachetted up its own sanctions directed at Moscow. Sanctions coupled with tumbling global oil prices have rattled Russia’s economy,…
More than half of Latvians live in fear war due to Ukraine crisis, survey shows
The number of of residents who fear the threat of war due to the Ukraine crisis has risen from 35 percent in 2011 to 51 percent this year, a survey from Swedbank shows. The public’s perception of risks that threaten each individual has changed, according to the survey. There has also been an increase in the number of persons afraid of incurable illnesses – from 45 percent in 2011, to…
Russian Spies Return to Europe in ‘New Cold War’
Earlier this month, experts convened in Brussels for a conference titled ‘The Second Cold War: Heating Up?’ Even among the plethora of current ‘New Cold War’ themed events, this one stood out: the organiser, Latvian MEP Tatjana Zdanoka, has been accused of being a Russian agent of influence – a spy. Zdanoka, who is also chair of the EU Russian-Speakers Alliance, insists there is no truth to the allegations, adding…
NATO Battles back in Information war with Russia
If the Russian media is to be believed, Ukraine is a country bordering on chaos, with fascists taking over the country following an illegal coup. NATO visits Lviv in western Ukraine to try and find evidence of this claim, but finds tolerance and unity instead.
Sputnik Launches Website, Radio Broadcasting in Abkhazia
On Monday, the multimedia group Sputnik launched its website and radio broadcasting in the Republic of Abkhazia. The Sputnik-Abkhazia multimedia hub is a major project, bringing round-the-clock news coverage to the republic in the Abkhaz and Russian languages in a variety of formats, and providing objective information to its listeners and readers about current events in the country and the world. “Sputnik in Abkhazia is a high-quality news product that had no counterpart in the local media landscape. It…
Russia Threatens To Ban BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed has received a warning over a post on this week’s attack in the capital of Chechnya. Russia has warned BuzzFeed that it will ban access to the entire site over a post published on Wednesday about a deadly gunfight in the capital of Chechnya. BuzzFeed received an email on Friday from Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal communications agency, saying that the post “contains appeals to mass riots, extremist activities or participation…
Ukraine’s New “Ministry of Truth” Ridiculed on Social Media
The creation of a new Ministry of Information Policy within the Ukrainian government has caused widespread consternation among Ukrainians, leading some to dub it the “Ministry of Truth.” Critics say the Orwellian department, aimed at protecting Ukraine in the information war with Russia, will only hinder freedom of speech and set a dangerous precedent, allowing the new government a greater measure of control over Ukrainian media. The new ministry is…
Tory blushes deepen over activities of Conservative Friends of Russia
Group finds itself unravelling amid concerns over its ‘political direction’ and claims it is uncritically cheerleading for the Kremlin. It seemed like the perfect fact-finding mission. Ten days in Moscow and St Petersburg, trips to the state ballet (Figaro and Don Quixote), and meetings with top Russian politicians. There was a visit to the world-famous Hermitage Museum. Not to mention gala dinners and an afternoon sightseeing at the Kremlin. At least four…
Royals And Russian Money Men Set To Mingle At London Conference
Figures linked to massive Russian fraud cases or connected to Russian state institutions on Western sanctions lists spoke at a Russian business forum at University College London last weekend. As Russia’s actions in Ukraine put the City of London’s tight-knit relationship with Russian money under scrutiny, a student society at one of Britain’s most prestigious universities is holding a conference aimed at promoting those same ties. The former strongman mayor…
