How Russia Uses Propaganda to Influence Europe: A Country-by-Country Analysis
Russian propaganda has become a significant concern in the European media landscape, employing a sophisticated array of tactics to influence public opinion and policy. This influence is not uniform across Europe; each country’s relationship with Russia, along with its political and media environment, shapes the nature and effectiveness of these propaganda efforts.
In Eastern Europe, particularly in former Soviet states like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, Russian propaganda campaigns are extensive. The RAND Corporation’s study highlights that Russia employs various means such as a state-funded multilingual television network, Kremlin-supporting news websites, and “civil society” organizations. Additionally, they leverage social media through tweets, comments, troll and bot accounts, and fake hashtag and Twitter campaigns. The primary goal here is to sow division between ethnic Russian populations and their host governments, NATO, and the European Union. In Ukraine, this has been especially pronounced since the 2014 revolution, with Russia aiming to erode trust in Western and democratic institutions.
In Germany, the approach is somewhat different due to the country’s strong ties and pragmatic relationship with Russia. Russia attempts to influence through business deals and support for non-centrist political parties like Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and Die Linke. Russian influence is also seen in the cultivation of “Russlandversteher” (Russia understanders) within the German elite and the co-option of figures associated with non-mainstream political parties. Additionally, the large Russian immigrant population in Germany, often socially and linguistically isolated, becomes a target for Kremlin-affiliated media.
The effectiveness of Russian disinformation campaigns stems from their ability to form early narratives and repeat them across a wide range of outlets and channels. This repetition gives the appearance of credibility and overwhelms the audience, leading them to either accept the disinformation as fact or to fall back on their own biases. Countering these campaigns is challenging, especially in democracies with a free press. Responses vary, with some countries like the Czech Republic employing specific government agencies, civil society group mobilization, and think tanks to combat these threats.
The United States Department of State identifies five major recurring Russian disinformation themes, one of which portrays Russia as an innocent victim, often labelling criticism as “Russophobia.” This narrative has been particularly prominent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
Finally, a study reported in Nature Communications indicates that while there is extensive literature and reports on Russian influence activities in Europe, these are mostly limited to Northern Europe, particularly the Baltic and Nordic countries. The reports from Western secret services vary in interpretation and relation to Russia, reflecting different national security priorities and perspectives.
This overview suggests a complex and adaptive Russian propaganda machine, one that tailors its approach to the unique political and social landscapes of different European countries. The impact of these campaigns is significant, necessitating a vigilant and multifaceted response from governments, media, and civil society across Europe.
