Putin's propaganda in the inn: A look at the Russian evening in Saxony

Putin's propaganda in the inn: A look at the Russian evening in Saxony

Hartmannsdorf, Deutschland - Ralf Heber, operator of an inn in Hartmannsdorf, Saxony, recently organized a "Russian evening", which offered an insight into his view of Russia and the Ukraine conflicts. The evening, which took place four weeks after the Russian attack on Ukraine, began with a view of the Corona pandemic and its effects on the worldview of LEBER. In his lecture, he described pandemic as an event that fundamentally changed his view of the world.

Heber called the Russian President Vladimir Putin one of the "prudent and smartest politicians worldwide" and said the conviction that the Russians in Ukraine wanted to eradicate the "Nazis" and still have some work in front of them. He presented his information as a "truth" and expressed deep distrust of the mainstream media. These views fall into a larger context that is characterized by increased spread of propaganda and disinformation.

Propaganda in the digital age

A central player in the distribution of such narratives is Telegram, a platform that has attracted over 900 million users since its foundation in 2013 by Pavel Durov. Telegram is known for its speed, privacy and the careless moderation of content. According to an analysis of Blackbird.ai, the platform is a center for pro-Russian propaganda and enables narrative that undermine democratic institutions and elections and promote cultural divisions.

The decentralized structure of Telegram facilitates manipulation of stories by state-funded actors, especially with regard to the Ukraine conflict and western democracies. Russian narratives often start on Telegram and find their way into the mainstream media via influencers and in-authentic accounts. Blackbird.ai has identified a network of over 600 pro-Russian channels on Telegram, which includes various types such as cyber operators, influencers and state media.

Cultural and political effects

The spread of these narratives not only has an impact on perception in the West, but also affects public discussion and contributes to political polarization. At events such as the “Russian evening”, the cultural transmissions of this propaganda are shown in a sociable framework, where traditional Russian dishes such as Borschtsch and Pelmeni are served. This supports a romantized perspective on Russia that contradicts the media representations of the Ukraine War.

Companies and private individuals should be aware of the potential effects of narrative attacks on their reputation and market stability. Effective countermeasures against such attacks require close cooperation between governments and companies as well as the improvement of regulation and media literacy. The awareness of the manipulative power of media, both digitally and analogously, remains essential in today's information landscape.