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Pranked by the Kremlin: fake phone calls as a FIMI instrument
Vladimir Kuznetsov, known as Vovan, and Alexei Stolyarov, who goes by Lexus, are known for pranking world leaders and celebrities. They have called many of them using fake aliases, often posing as Russian, Ukrainian, or Western politicians, publishing carefully selected excerpts on their social media accounts. Framed as comedy, their work is highly political, consistently reinforcing narratives favourable to Moscow. A shift after Crimea: targeting Ukraine and its allies Their
1 day ago
Russia and the Pain of Losing Hungary
The loss of a populist ally in Budapest has a range of financial consequences for the Putin regime. Source : kremlin.ru Make no mistake, the Kremlin is feeling the pain from the historic landslide victory for Hungary’s opposition, ending the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán. The most immediate blow is ideological. Orbán was living proof that sovereign, illiberal democracy is possible, popular, and even sustainable in some parts of the European Union (EU). His fall damages that na
2 days ago
Russia targets elections in Hungary and Bulgaria
KEY EVENTS: Pro-Kremlin narratives attempted to discredit the parliamentary elections in Hungary and Bulgaria FIMI outlets engaged in nuclear fearmongering Messaging claimed that EU financial support to Ukraine prolongs the war Last week in review Pro-Kremlin information channels continued a months-long campaign targeting the 12 April elections in Hungary. The effort focused on discrediting the opposition party TISZA and its leader Péter Magyar, while accusing Ukraine and the
3 days ago
Pranked by the Kremlin: fake phone calls as a FIMI instrument
Vladimir Kuznetsov, known as Vovan, and Alexei Stolyarov, who goes by Lexus, are known for pranking world leaders and celebrities. They have called many of them using fake aliases, often posing as Russian, Ukrainian, or Western politicians, publishing carefully selected excerpts on their social media accounts. Framed as comedy, their work is highly political, consistently reinforcing narratives favourable to Moscow. A shift after Crimea: targeting Ukraine and its allies Their
1 day ago
Russia targets elections in Hungary and Bulgaria
KEY EVENTS: Pro-Kremlin narratives attempted to discredit the parliamentary elections in Hungary and Bulgaria FIMI outlets engaged in nuclear fearmongering Messaging claimed that EU financial support to Ukraine prolongs the war Last week in review Pro-Kremlin information channels continued a months-long campaign targeting the 12 April elections in Hungary. The effort focused on discrediting the opposition party TISZA and its leader Péter Magyar, while accusing Ukraine and the
3 days ago
Recognizing the role of propaganda in Russia’s infrastructure of aggression
By Don Fontijn / Unsplash Despite suffering an estimated 1.2 million casualties in Ukraine since 2022, Russian forces continue to replenish their ranks at a pace that roughly matches battlefield losses. Attempts to explain this phenomenon by focusing on coercion or financial incentives are incomplete. In fact, enlistment bonuses for soldiers have been reduced or eliminated across many Russian regions since 2025. Meanwhile, Ukrainian intelligence indicates that approximatel
Apr 15
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Russia and the Pain of Losing Hungary
The loss of a populist ally in Budapest has a range of financial consequences for the Putin regime. Source : kremlin.ru Make no mistake, the Kremlin is feeling the pain from the historic landslide victory for Hungary’s opposition, ending the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán. The most immediate blow is ideological. Orbán was living proof that sovereign, illiberal democracy is possible, popular, and even sustainable in some parts of the European Union (EU). His fall damages that na
2 days ago
Ukraine’s Africa Campaign: Fighting Russia on Europe’s Southern Border
Kyiv is disrupting Russia’s African networks. That reduces Moscow’s ability to raise money and to pressure Europe’s most vulnerable frontier. By EUvsDisinfo Russia’s war against Ukraine is increasingly being contested in Africa, where Ukraine has begun targeting Russian networks far beyond the European battlefield. The operations are limited in scale but strategically focused, aimed at disrupting the infrastructure Moscow relies on to sustain its war effort and pressure NATO’
Apr 16
Europe needs a 21st-century containment strategy toward Russia
Bottom lines up front Europe is entering a period of strategic indecision: some capitals are doubling down on deterrence and defense, while others are reviving calls for engagement with Moscow. Renewed appeals to re-engage Russia do not reflect improved strategic conditions but uncertainty over how to respond to Russian aggression and the breakdown of the rules-based order. Containment remains the only viable European approach to Russia, but it must be updated to reflect the
Apr 13
New Ways to Win Wars — Proposals for the West
For decades, Western defense strategy assumed that technological superiority ensured victory. That assumption proves false in modern conflict. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Conflict is being shaped less by the performance of advanced systems than by the ability to produce, sustain, and regenerate them at scale. Mass is the new buzzword, along with non-admiring references to “exquisite” high-end systems There is now a realization of a growing gap between
6 days ago
Europe’s Next Catastrophe Will Be No Accident
Russia’s shadow war in Europe is escalating. Allies need a new strategy before it’s too late. Prime Minister Tusk confirmed the incident on Warsaw–Lublin railway line was an act of sabotage. Source: Donald Tusk / X/ Press materials An unidentified object crosses into Lithuanian airspace from Kaliningrad and is quickly picked up by NATO radar systems. It’s small, fast, and unregistered. Shortly thereafter, three more similar objects joined in formation. NATO aircraft are scram
Apr 14
Europe needs a 21st-century containment strategy toward Russia
Bottom lines up front Europe is entering a period of strategic indecision: some capitals are doubling down on deterrence and defense, while others are reviving calls for engagement with Moscow. Renewed appeals to re-engage Russia do not reflect improved strategic conditions but uncertainty over how to respond to Russian aggression and the breakdown of the rules-based order. Containment remains the only viable European approach to Russia, but it must be updated to reflect the
Apr 13
Pranked by the Kremlin: fake phone calls as a FIMI instrument
Vladimir Kuznetsov, known as Vovan, and Alexei Stolyarov, who goes by Lexus, are known for pranking world leaders and celebrities. They have called many of them using fake aliases, often posing as Russian, Ukrainian, or Western politicians, publishing carefully selected excerpts on their social media accounts. Framed as comedy, their work is highly political, consistently reinforcing narratives favourable to Moscow. A shift after Crimea: targeting Ukraine and its allies Their
1 day ago
Russia and the Pain of Losing Hungary
The loss of a populist ally in Budapest has a range of financial consequences for the Putin regime. Source : kremlin.ru Make no mistake, the Kremlin is feeling the pain from the historic landslide victory for Hungary’s opposition, ending the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán. The most immediate blow is ideological. Orbán was living proof that sovereign, illiberal democracy is possible, popular, and even sustainable in some parts of the European Union (EU). His fall damages that na
2 days ago
Russia targets elections in Hungary and Bulgaria
KEY EVENTS: Pro-Kremlin narratives attempted to discredit the parliamentary elections in Hungary and Bulgaria FIMI outlets engaged in nuclear fearmongering Messaging claimed that EU financial support to Ukraine prolongs the war Last week in review Pro-Kremlin information channels continued a months-long campaign targeting the 12 April elections in Hungary. The effort focused on discrediting the opposition party TISZA and its leader Péter Magyar, while accusing Ukraine and the
3 days ago
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