Russian propaganda in the Visegrad states

Summary:

The Kremlin’s disinformation methods create an effective model of geopolitical influence. Russian propaganda distorts the perception of people, events and even entire institutions (the EU, NATO). The results are impressive: propaganda has created an alternative version of events at the Euromaidan, the war in Donbas and Syria. This disinformation destabilizes the political situation in many countries by supporting one political faction and simultaneously discrediting others. Recent cases included the presidential elections in the United States and France, as well as the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. Similar disinformation campaigns are expected for the German parliamentary elections later this year.

Our Policy Brief describes Russian disinformation in the Visegrad countries. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have all become the targets and victims of the Kremlin’s information warfare. Putin’s regime exploits various narratives to achieve its goals in the Visegrad countries. Our author, Lukasz Wenerski, analyst and project coordinator of the Warsaw-based Institute of Public Affairs, presents the main narratives of the Kremlin’s propaganda among the Visegrad countries, but first and foremost, he reveals important entities (people and organizations) that stand behind the Kremlin’s narrative in each of the respective countries.

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