Putin’s silent war - Hybrid attacks in Europe | DW Documentary

Key Concepts:

• Russian disinformation and influence operations
• Hybrid warfare
• Psychological manipulation
• Destabilization campaigns
• Doppelganger campaigns
• Exploitation of societal vulnerabilities
• Subcontracting of operations
• Information war

1. Dependence on Russian Natural Gas and its Weaponization:

• In February 2022, Russia's attack on Ukraine exposed Europe's vulnerability due to its dependence on Russian natural gas.
• Germany, in particular, relied on Russia for over half of its natural gas supply.
• The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, completed in 2021, was decommissioned after the invasion, despite potential gas shortages.
• Russia's attempt to use natural gas as blackmail failed, leading to a shift towards information warfare.

2. Information Warfare and Manipulation Tactics:

• The Kremlin aims to manipulate reality and human perception by spreading false information.
• Digital technology and social networks have amplified the reach of disinformation.
• The goal is to confuse the opponent and prevent them from distinguishing between right and wrong.
• Russian agents use psychological manipulation to influence individuals, starting with small favors and escalating to larger requests.

3. Case Study: Roman Melkare (France):

• Roman Melkare, a journalist in Paris, was targeted by a Russian agent named Sergey Solomazov in 2014.
• Solomazov, posing as a diplomat, attempted to network with Melkare and gather personal information.
• He offered small gifts and favors, gradually escalating to requests for sensitive information, including NATO documents.
• Melkare refused to provide the requested documents, thwarting the agent's attempt to recruit him.

4. Case Study: Slovakia and Bohos Gabbar:

• Sergei Solomazov was reassigned to Slovakia after his work in France.
• Slovakian counter-espionage agents monitored Solomazov's activities.
• He was caught bribing a local journalist, Bohos Gabbar, to publish pro-Russian articles on his online platform "lavravi" (Main News).
• Gabbar was arrested, charged with spying and corruption, and sentenced to 1.5 years in jail in the spring of 2024.
• The arrest led to the breakup of a network aimed at destabilizing Slovakia and shifting it towards a pro-Russian stance.
• The Slovakian defense minister alerted European partners to Russian infiltration in Europe, leading to the expulsion of over 250 Russian agents.
• Despite the expulsions, Russian disinformation influenced the Slovakian election in September 2022, resulting in a pro-Russian party gaining power.

5. Case Study: Stars of David in Paris:

• In October 2023, hundreds of Stars of David were sprayed onto buildings in Paris.
• An investigation revealed the involvement of individuals from Muldova, directed by a pro-Russian influencer named Vetlavo.
• Vetlavo claimed he was contacted by Anatoli Pzenko, who tasked him with photographing the graffiti.
• The photographs were amplified by a network of over 1,000 Russian bots on social media.
• The operation aimed to exploit tensions between Jewish and Muslim communities in France following the Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023.
• The goal was to sow discord, promote division, and weaken the cohesion of democratic societies.

6. Anatoli Pzenko and Transnistria:

• Anatoli Pzenko, a businessman from Muldova, is suspected of organizing the Stars of David operation.
• He claims the idea originated from a man named Davided, who leads a mysterious Jewish organization.
• Pzenko has ties to Transnistria, a pro-Russian separatist region in Muldova, where Russian secret services are highly active.
• Transnistria is considered a "talent incubator" for the Kremlin, providing a base for destabilizing operations in Europe.

7. Operation Doppelganger:

• Operation Doppelganger is a large-scale Russian disinformation campaign that involves creating fake websites and social media accounts that mimic legitimate European media outlets.
• The campaign aims to spread pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian narratives, sow uncertainty about the war, and undermine trust in democratic institutions.
• The fake news is continually adjusted to fit genuine actual reporting.
• The operation is well-organized, financed, and resilient, constantly finding new ways to continue working.

8. Kremlin's Strategy and Goals:

• The Kremlin views information warfare as a crucial tool to compensate for its military inferiority compared to NATO.
• The goal is to weaken democratic societies and force a defeat without an actual battle.
• Former Russian President Dmitri Medviev threatened to make the West's life a "permanent nightmare" by blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
• Russia seeks to exploit societal vulnerabilities, instigate controversy, and promote division in Europe.

9. Conclusion:

• Russia is intensifying its offensive against the West through a combination of disinformation, manipulation, and hybrid warfare tactics.
• These operations are often low-cost and involve subcontractors from other countries, making them difficult to detect and counter.
• The goal is to destabilize democratic societies, sow discord, and undermine trust in institutions.
• European secret services must cooperate more closely to combat Russian interference and defend democracy.
• The outcome of this confrontation is uncertain, but the seeds of division have been sown, and populist movements are reaping the benefits.