Thousands of narratives aimed at the West and Ukraine compose Russia’s disinformation campaign. Its primary goals are to diminish public support for Ukraine in the US and EU countries and to pressure governments to reduce their aid to Ukraine.
Six main stories disseminated by state-owned Russian media and pro-Russian news sources in France and the Czech Republic during the first half of November have been identified in the investigation by Espreso Global with our input.
- “Supporting Ukraine makes no sense”
- “Russia is winning the war, the defeat of Ukraine and the West is near”
- “The West is to blame for the war in Ukraine”
- “The neo-Nazi junta in Ukraine”
- “Stirring up internal conflict in the EU, and demonization of the EU”
- “The West declines and a new world order with Brics is coming”
This article revolves around the news sources that, by distorting the truth and manipulating facts, supported the first two storylines. The following two pieces will address the four narratives still left.
Narrative 1: “Supporting Ukraine makes no sense”
The French version of the Russian propaganda station RT (previously Russia Today) gets around the EU sanctions over the spread of disinformation related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Its content is nevertheless accessible in Europe, despite the restrictions. Many pro-Russian websites in the EU find their inspiration from RT.
For instance, RT, referencing a single source—the Communist Party of Greece—said that Greek communists stopped an armament shipment for Ukraine. Sputnik, another Russian state-owned news outlet, also disseminated this narrative, trying to bolster the fictitious public discontent with Ukraine’s assistance.
The Czech website novarepublika.cz supported a similar narrative backed by the same picture. Our list of twenty Czech online outlets that regularly quote Russian media and support pro-Kremlin opinions includes this one.
- https://francais.rt.com/international/114569-communistes-grecs-bloquent-convoi-munitions-pour-ukraine
- https://twitter.com/SputnikInt/status/1854691054337114288
- https://www.novarepublika.cz/2024/11/demonstranti-v-recku-blokuji-nakladni-auta-se-zbranemi-pro-kyjev
RT claimed that the coalition in Germany had supposedly fallen apart due to economic problems caused by support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, promoting the narrative that if support for Ukraine were stopped, everything would return to normal.
- https://francais.rt.com/international/114553-chute-gouvernement-allemand-scholz-pointe-doigt-aide-ukraine
The Czech pro-Kremlin outlet Aeronews, which we also spotted when analyzing Russian propaganda in Czechia, supported this RT article.
- https://aeronet.news/protiruske-sankce-funguji-nemecka-vladni-koalice-olafa-scholze-se-kvuli-zpetnym-dopadum-sankci-na-nemeckou-ekonomiku-rozpadla-balik-3-miliard-eur-pro-ukrajinu-neprosel
RT uses Kremlin-friendly politicians’ statements, particularly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to support the idea that the West should stop aiding Ukraine.
- https://francais.rt.com/international/114587-viktor-orban-europe-ne-pourra
The French publication Qactus.fr has a number of anti-Western and pro-Russian articles. Here’s an example of an article that directly pushes the narrative about the uselessness of aid to Ukraine. A pro-Russian outlet picked up Donald Trump’s claim that half of U.S. aid to Ukraine “disappeared” and questioned where the money went, despite there being no specific facts to back up these suspicions.
- https://qactus.fr/2024/11/11/usa-trump-contre-zelensky-ou-sont-passes-les-milliards-disparus-en-ukraine/
We’ve already caught Le Média en 4-4-2 spreading falsehoods about Ukraine. This time, they misrepresented the arrest of the head of a Ukrainian medical institution under the headline, “Corruption in Ukraine: 5 million euros seized from a military official.”
They made it seem like the money was stolen by Ukrainian military leadership, implying that Ukraine doesn’t need foreign aid. In reality, a medical official, not the military, was involved, and the bribes came from individuals attempting to illegally avoid conscription. So, it had nothing to do with aid to Ukraine.
- https://lemediaen442.fr/corruption-en-ukraine-5-millions-deuros-saisis-chez-une-responsable-militaire
Le Media en 442 also echoed Kremlin narratives about doubts in the West over continuing support for Ukraine in an article titled “Is the West Abandoning Ukraine?” In the piece, they claim that Washington is pressuring Kyiv to negotiate peace with Russia and end the war quickly, citing alleged hesitations from the West about its support for Ukraine.
- https://lemediaen442.fr/loccident-est-il-en-train-de-lacher-lukraine-karine-bechet-golovko-et-rachid-achachi
Riposte Laique is a far-right-wing French website that has been caught spreading propaganda multiple times. In 2017, the site was listed by the BBC among media outlets that spread fake news during the French election. The site was also hosted on servers of the Russian company JSC IOT.
Currently, Riposte Laique is one of the outlets promoting the narrative that supporting Ukraine makes no sense. For instance, they released an article named “Trump’s Plan to Save Ukrainians Against Their Will.” The article presents a distorted view of Ukraine’s future, including its new borders, NATO’s frustration, and insults directed at Ukraine’s president. The author asserts, “What Russia does with the territories it has recovered at great cost matters little to Washington.” Whether it annexes them, forgets about them, or leaves them with some autonomy.”
- https://ripostelaique.com/le-plan-de-trump-pour-sauver-les-ukrainiens-malgre-eux.html
In another article, Riposte Laique argues against “funding the war in Ukraine,” mentioning the so-called presence of Nazis in the country. The article claims that European taxpayers are paying for the war against Russia—and now, also against North Korea.
- https://ripostelaique.com/les-soldats-de-kim-jong-un-en-russie-mais-a-qui-la-faute.html
Czech websites like protiproud.info, jaktobylo.cz, iportal24.cz and cz24.news, which we’ve previously mentioned as sources of Russian propaganda, contributed to efforts in early November to undermine support for Ukraine in the West.
Protiproud.info accused Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy of stealing money from the people. The title claimed, “Zelenskyy robbed 120,000 people of their homes and money. Kyiv’s corrupt regime is hopeless. When will the people revolt?” It suggested that aid to Ukraine should be stopped because it would be stolen.
- https://protiproud.info/politika/8270-kradostroj-zelensky-ho-nevynalezl-ale-skvele-zdokonalil-aktualne-obral-120-000-lidi-o-byty-i-penize-putin-rozdava-levne-hypoteky-kyjev-beznadej-okradli-hlavne-emigranty-kdy-se-lide-vzbouri.htm
The Czech pro-Kremlin media outlet jaktobylo.cz spreads false claims to discredit Ukraine, such as calling Ukraine a money-laundering operation for U.S. Democrats. The main message is that there’s no need to provide Ukraine with financial or military support.
- https://jaktobylo.com/historie-v-souvislostech/volodymyr-offshorovic-zelenskyj/
In some articles, there are direct calls for the U.S. to stop sending aid to Ukraine, with claims that the war is lost.
- https://cz24.news/britsky-analytik-mercouris-pre-usa-dobra-cesta-z-ukrajinskej-katastrofy-neexistuje
Another Czech Kremlin-friendly outlet, iportal24.cz, spread the narrative that “supporting Ukraine makes no sense,” claiming that Ukraine “sends” refugees to Europe. The article argues against providing aid to Ukraine, stating that it spends millions on luxury ski resorts while Europe takes in refugees.
- https://www.iportal24.cz/zahranici/miliardy-pro-lyzarske-stredisko-ukrajina-investuje-do-luxusniho-projektu-zatimco-evropu-zasobuje-uprchliky/
These biased sources falsify facts in order to undermine world support for Ukraine, hence increasing the country’s vulnerability to Russia’s aggressive war and continuous attacks.
Narrative 2: “Russia is winning the war, the defeat of Ukraine and the West is close”
The narrative of Russia’s victory aims to portray the idea that Russia will ultimately emerge victorious in the war in Ukraine. Therefore, further assistance to Ukraine appears to be futile, according to this narrative. Russia aims to lower public support for weapon supply to Ukraine by disseminating this information.
Among the Czech websites we have found disseminating pro-Kremlin propaganda is Infokuryr.cz. In early November, this media source pushed the story of Russia’s military triumphs. They specifically reflected one-sided accounts of Mr Konashenkov, the head of the Department of Information of the Russian defence ministry, and even suggested that the Ukrainian army no longer exists, echoing claims of Russian leadership about successful strikes on the building of the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv.
- https://www.infokuryr.cz/n/2024/11/06/petr-pokorny-ruske-jednotky-uderily-na-generalni-stab-apu-v-kyjeve-a-zverejnily-dusledky/
- https://www.infokuryr.cz/n/2024/11/08/je-po-vsem-ukrajinska-armada-uz-neexistuje-mcgregor/
Infokuryr.cz also echoes Russian fake news, claiming that Russian rockets and drones are destroying military targets in Ukraine, even though the images they use show destroyed civilian facilities and residential buildings.
- https://www.infokuryr.cz/n/2024/11/05/prehled-ruskych-uderu-na-ukrajine-4-listopadu-2024
The cz24.news website is among the most active boosters of the narrative about Russia’s approaching triumph and Ukraine’s certain loss. Most of its pieces on the war in Ukraine obviously highlight one of Russia’s key points of view.
For instance, it disseminates as reliable the war briefings of Igor Konashenkov, chief of the Russian Ministry of Defence’s Information Department. It features remarks by American pro-Kremlin activist Douglas McGregor, who in 2014 backed Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
According to the pieces, Ukraine’s loss is inevitable, and “The West’s attempt to defeat Russia on the battlefield has turned into a total failure.”
One of its pieces summarises the war filled with Russian false news: Zelenskyy is dragging Poland into the war, Zelenskyy is in a panic over Ukraine’s impending loss, Ukrainian troops are surrendering and prefer to be captured by Russia rather than exchange prisoners, and so on.
- https://cz24.news/zamer-zapadu-porazit-rusko-na-bitevnim-poli-se-prirozene-zmenil-v-tohle/
- https://cz24.news/dnesny-brifing-ruskeho-ministerstva-obrany-11-novembra-2024/
- https://cz24.news/douglas-mcgregor-rusko-vyhralo-a-trump-to-vie-video/
- https://cz24.news/strajk-rusi-demoluju-na-hraniciach-s-rumunskom-vrtulniky-naliehavo-vzlietli-z-krajiny-nato-situacia-je-na-pokraji-katastrofy-aktualne-spravy-z-frontov-5-11-2024/
- https://cz24.news/zelensky-v-panice-dupe-nohama-jako-spratek-a-chce-jen-jedno-zapad-dorucil-vudci-ukrajiny-katastrofalni-zpravy-uvedomil-si-co-ho-ceka/
- https://cz24.news/ukrajina-na-frontach-je-situace-pro-afu-zalostna-kapitulace-je-nevyhnutelna/
Some of which we have included in our list of 20 Czech sites disseminating Russian propaganda, Czech websites like novarepublika.cz, protiproud.info, aeronet.news, czechfreepress.cz, skrytapravda.cz, and volnyblog.news also help to shape the story of Russia’s military triumphs.
They support Russian weapons, assert Putin is winning strategically, and speculate internal demonstrations in Ukraine would shortly follow from her defeat. These sites show Russian soldiers as unstoppable. One of the more remarkable manipulations we came across was a czechfreepress.cz comparison between Ukraine’s situation in 1945 and Hitler’s.
- https://www.novarepublika.cz/2024/11/rostec-su-57-jediny-na-svete-prokazal-ucinnost-v-boji-proti-americkym-protivzdusnym-systemum-patriot
- https://protiproud.info/politika/8271-vypadalo-to-jako-vtip-ale-neni-hrozba-je-skutecna-zapad-se-boji-odlivu-mozku-do-ruska-brics-zasadne-meni-situaci-zelezna-pest-v-sametove-rukavici-putin-vi-na-co-miri-hodnoty-i-hamburgery-bez-gmo-skonci-nejlepsi-mozky-v-rusku.htm
- https://protiproud.info/politika/8282-masivni-utoky-na-ukrajinske-pozice-v-ruskem-pohranici-nejde-jen-o-uzemi-partyzanske-hnuti-v-kyjeve-zapaluje-sklady-rusko-bojuje-se-zapadem-nejen-za-svou-suverenitu-stary-rad-padl-putin-se-vyjadril-i-k-trumpovi-jednani.htm
- https://www.czechfreepress.cz/valky/putinovy-jednotky-pokracuji-v-nezadrzitelnem-postupu-na-vychod-dobytim-dvou-mest.html
- https://skrytapravda.cz/ze-zahranici/2202-ruske-jednotky-uderily-na-generalni-stab-apu-v-kyjeve-a-zverejnily-dusledky
- https://www.czechfreepress.cz/evropa/v-britanii-byla-situace-ukrajinskych-ozbrojenych-sil-srovnavana-se-situaci-nemecke-armady-v-roce-1945.html
To support the narrative of Russian achievements in Ukraine, the above-mentioned French publication Qactus.fr shared a documentary by another pro-Moscow media outlet, Omerta. Shot alongside the Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, the movie presents a favourable picture of them.
- https://qactus.fr/2024/11/09/france-nouveau-documentaire-koursk-en-immersion-exclusive-au-coeur-de-la-contre-offensive-russe/
Le Média en 4-4-2 publishes comments from pro-Russian agents of influence, including Caroline Galactéros, who has been claiming Ukraine’s inevitable defeat for three years, praising the strength of the Russian army, and denouncing aid to Ukraine, so supporting the narrative of Russian military success. Living in Moscow, the French pro-Kremlin publicist Xavier Moreaux also overstates the achievements of Russian invading troops and has been forecasting Ukraine’s near collapse for three years.
- https://lemediaen442.fr/ukraine-la-defaite-en-vue-malgre-les-milliards-deuros-occidentaux-caroline-galacteros/
- https://lemediaen442.fr/bulletin-stratpol-n208-les-dernieres-nouvelles-de-la-guerre-industrielle-et-strategique-entre-la-russie-et-lukraine/
- Stratpol.com
Disguised as a strategic research center, the pro-Kremlin propaganda outlet Stratpol asserts that Russian forces are “liberating” (in fact capturing and occupying – ed.) Donbas at a “record” speed, a claim that is false, as independent analysts’ maps do not demonstrate such progress.
- https://stratpol.com/les-troupes-russes-liberent-le-donbass-a-une-vitesse-record/
Citing remarks from Russia’s UN representative Vasily Nebenzya, a pro-Russian analyst from Voltairenet writes on Russia’s achievements and Ukraine’s shortcomings, concluding that sanctions against Russia are useless. This is untrue, though, since sanctions significantly affect Russia’s rapidly declining economy.
- https://www.voltairenet.org/article221484.html
After EU sanctions supposedly closed RT France, Reseau International became a fresh venue for Russian propaganda. Claiming to be an independent, multilingual media organisation, this website is disseminating Russian narratives.
Reseau International posted Russian fakes, for example, that the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers in 16 areas of Ukraine contaminate the water, that Ukraine punishes rebellious troops by sending them to the front in Kursk to die, that Russia does not need North Korea to defeat Ukraine, and that the war has already ended. Reseau International distorts information. To back up the claim that Russia has won, pro-Russian French general Delavarde explains why he thinks the war is already over.
- https://reseauinternational.net/lagrandissement-des-cimetieres-en-ukraine-a-entraine-une-contamination-de-leau-dans-16-regions-par-des-toxines-provenant-de-corps-en-decomposition/
- https://reseauinternational.net/la-pratique-du-front-punitif-a-koursk-montre-quil-ny-a-pas-davenir-pour-les-forces-ukrainiennes/
- https://reseauinternational.net/la-france-forme-des-soldats-ukrainiens-dans-la-marne/
- https://reseauinternational.net/le-general-delawarde-repond-a-10-questions-la-victoire-aux-russes/
- https://reseauinternational.net/ukraine-etre-moins-ou-ne-pas-etre/
- https://reseauinternational.net/la-guerre-en-ukraine-est-perdue-il-reste-trois-options/
Russian propaganda is clearly relentlessly advancing its goal in Europe, seeking fresh approaches to evade sanctions, supporting local Kremlin-friendly publications, and creating new websites and cloned domains to forward its message. Regretfully, the EU nations have not yet created a viable counter-strategies for state-level propaganda dissemination.
Even though websites such as RT and Sputnik have been penalised and banned, they are often restored on different domains and continue to push pro-Russia messages. Furthermore, local pro-Kremlin websites can openly disseminate or even repost Russian fakes about Ukraine. Usually, these stories discredit Ukrainians, correlate support for Ukraine to internal EU problems, and demand stopping of aid to Ukraine.
But as Czechia’s experience shows, readers tend to not find much support for these materials. Their audiences are marginalised, and Russian propaganda has not yet greatly changed popular perspective.
Discover also the list our previous researches on this page.
