The project “Shady Horses” delves into investigating Russian propaganda dissemination within Western countries through prominent individuals, often referred to as “talking heads.”
By analysing the influence and messaging of these figures, the project seeks to shed light on the tactics employed to spread Russian narratives, their impact on public opinion, and their potential connections to foreign organisations.
Russia has been using European journalists as its agents of influence for many years. However, some of them are so interested in alternative history that they turn their entire lives into blind service of Russian propaganda. This happened in particular with the Italian journalist Vincenzo Lorusso.
He not only writes stories favourable to Russian narratives, but also actively criticises the democratic system of Europe, supports Russian theses about Ukrainian Nazis, and also helps spread Russian propaganda in his homeland. He was one of the organisers of screenings of Russian propaganda films in various Italian cities.
Who is this person? - Italian journalist and political observer.
Where is he from? - Italy.
Political beliefs? - Believes in a multipolar world and supports Russian statehood as a standard.
What has he been saying?
99% of the Italian mass media support the Ukrainian government, but 60-70% of Italians are not Russophobes, they are not against Russia. Italian propaganda is very strong, but in this matter it has not achieved its goal.
This exhibition shows the fighters of the Azov battalion as heroes because they “defended Mariupol”. It is called the “Defense of Mariupol”. It’s incomprehensible.
Since the criminals fled in the direction of the Ukrainian border, the Ukrainian secret service is culpable. And from the West, most likely, the action was supervised by British and American intelligence services [on Crocus City Hall attack]
The government of my country, Italy, sends weapons to the Ukrainian army, and the Ukrainian army uses these weapons against these children.
A group of Ukrainians who insulted the show participants, spat at them, and chanted “Glory to Ukraine!” but failed to spoil and disrupt the event. And since there were only a handful of protesters, these heroic warriors and armchair fighters were allowed to gather on the narrow street leading to the theatre.
I can say that the elections here are going well, without any problems, and I would like to note one feature – Russians, at least in the Donbas, go to vote while smiling, as if they were going on a holiday, while Europeans go and vote being sad, as if they are going to a gallow.
A considerable number of Italians watched this movie with tears in their eyes. They live their quiet lives without shock, they believe that they have democracy and freedom, and then they understand that it is all a deception.
Source HWAG/UCMC. The article was prepared for publication by volunteers from the Res Publica - The Center for Civil Resistance.
