The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Warns: russia Actively Uses Foreign Proxy Media in Its Information War

Over the past few weeks, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine has been recording an increase in russian special information operations through foreign proxy resources.

In particular, a number of media outlets are promoting the well-known set of the kremlin narratives about Ukraine. These include: “illegitimacy of the government”, “demoralization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”, and “external management”.

Despite EU sanctions, russia, albeit less, continues to use state and “private” media outlets (RIA Novosti, RT, Gazeta.ru, Lenta.ru, TASS, Voennoye Delo), as well as a network of so-called proxy media in foreign countries, which either reprint the main information messages of the above-mentioned resources or contain links to these sources.

This applies to resources such as: Pogled.info (Bulgaria), Baltnews/baltija.eu (Estonia), Frontnieuws.com (Netherlands), Uusi MV-Lehti (Finland), Cutiapandorei (Romania), jednotneslovensko.info (Slovakia). Over the past week, these resources have been spreading speculative opinions with links to russian publications that are under EU sanctions.

Proxy platforms: Substack, ZeroHedge (USA); ProNews (Greece); Informer (Serbia); Parlamentni Listy, CZ24.news (Czech Republic) were used for the information operation to dehumanize the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These media outlets spread narratives about the “collapse of Ukrainian defense”, “terrorist methods of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”, “Ukraine’s inability to hold the front”, etc.

Manipulative statements about the “illegitimacy of the government” and “corruption of the political leadership” are regularly published using the proxy publication Magyar Nemzet (Hungary).

Information about “ending the war only through Kyiv’s concessions” and taking into consideration moscow’s interests is promoted through proxy publications: The American Conservative (USA), Reseau International (France), CZ24.news (Czech Republic).

Currently, moscow has focused its propaganda efforts on the political component, trying to undermine the unity of the Western anti-war coalition and its partnership with Ukraine.

Information hygiene, in particular abroad, is an important element in comprehensive counteraction to russia’s aggression.

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine is keeping a close eye on the rf’s actions in the information environment and is taking the necessary measures of influence, including in cooperation with foreign partner special services.