The Dark Side of Russian State Media
Dorin Methfessel /
On October 29, Serbian news sources reported that the Kremlin planned to open 29 bureaus of Rossiya Segodnya, a Russian state media outlet, in capital cities worldwide. The plan to open the bureaus will augment the Kremlin’s global presence. The increase in media outlets allows Russia to continue to export propaganda intended to influence foreign audiences and support Russian aggression.
Russian policy severely restricts independent media outlets. The Duma passed a law that nearly eliminates foreign-owned news sources. Disseminating propaganda, both domestically and abroad, is such a priority for the Kremlin that Vladimir Putin would not accept a budget cut for RT, another state-supported media outlet. Instead, the Kremlin increased RT’s budget by 30 percent for the 2015 fiscal year.
As Russia continues to exert itself aggressively in places like Georgia and Ukraine, the Kremlin produces propaganda masked as legitimate news to shift public opinion. Heritage Foundation analyst Daniel Kochis wrote:
Insulated from criticism in the Russian press, Putin has faced condemnation abroad, especially over the invasions of Georgia and Ukraine. Therefore, Putin has sought to export favorable coverage, obscure objective truths, and sap the resolve of Western publics to counter Russian aggression.
Russian disinformation is aimed in part at nations with a large number of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking persons, such as American allies in the Baltic States. The propaganda campaign could be used to create fissures in local populations. In order to prevent Russian propaganda from damaging American interests in Europe, the U.S. needs to take specific countermeasures. Policies that counter misinformation with factual evidence should be pursued. For example, the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence (CCE) in Latvia can help allies ensure an appropriate and nimble response to Russian disinformation. Additionally, continuing to strengthen the transatlantic alliances is crucial for countering Russian propaganda.
Russia is doubling down on its campaign to influence foreign media coverage with disinformation—the U.S. must be aware the stakes have been raised.
Dorin Methfessel is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here.