Russia is waging a hybrid war through the media and diplomacy, using propaganda as its main tool of influence at home and abroad, according to a new report by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The report is based on materials from The Propaganda Monitor project, which studies and exposes the mechanisms of Kremlin disinformation.
The Kremlin has built an entire propaganda ecosystem, uniting state-run media, online outlets, influential figures under its control, and parallel structures. This system involves both media such as RT and Sputnik and other players like the Wagner Group. It uses a wide range of methods — from concealing facts and spreading disinformation to stealing personal data and creating fake journalism schools.
RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire noted that Moscow has long sought to suppress any alternative viewpoints, and the current international environment works in its favor. He recalled that the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to dissolve the U.S. Agency for Global Media was welcomed by the Kremlin, since the reduction of independent sources of information leaves more space for Russian narratives.
The report states that in Russia itself the media landscape has in recent years come under full state control. Laws on “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations” have become tools for pressuring journalists and news outlets. Currently, 48 journalists — including 26 Ukrainians — remain imprisoned, and during the war against Ukraine at least 13 media workers have been killed and dozens injured.
According to the report, Kremlin disinformation relies on old clichés such as claims about “Nazis” in Ukraine or denial of the war itself. At the same time, Russia is expanding its methods of information influence, including the use of generative artificial intelligence to scale its campaigns.
Kremlin propaganda adapts to different audiences and is active in Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. In Africa, Russia exploits weak local media to strengthen its position through “information contractors.” In Europe, despite EU sanctions, RT and Sputnik find ways to spread anti-European rhetoric. In Latin America, the Kremlin taps into anti-imperialist sentiment to win public sympathy.
RSF stresses that the first step in countering disinformation must be restoring justice and supporting independent media. The organization assists Russian and Belarusian media in exile, as well as Ukrainian newsrooms affected by the war. Measures include fact-checking initiatives such as the Journalism Trust Initiative, which help identify reliable sources of information.
