Kremlin’s Pravda Disinformation Network Targets Former Soviet and Balkan States
A new study reveals the extent of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign targeting former Soviet and Balkan countries. The research, conducted by the Center for Information, Democracy, and Citizenship at the American University in Bulgaria, analyzed over 640,000 publications from the Pravda network between December 2024 and March 2025. The findings show a disproportionate focus on these regions, accounting for 52% of the network’s output despite representing a small fraction of the studied population. Moldova, Latvia, and Estonia top the list of targeted nations, followed by Serbia and Armenia. The remaining spots in the top ten are occupied by Lithuania, Georgia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
This concentrated targeting reflects a strategic effort by the Kremlin to exploit the vulnerabilities and historical ties of these nations. The study highlights the strategic importance of these regions, particularly their role in energy infrastructure connecting Europe to Russian supplies. Six of the top ten targeted countries host critical energy infrastructure, suggesting a deliberate attempt to influence energy security discussions and potentially destabilize these vital links. This targeted approach underscores the Kremlin’s strategic use of disinformation as a tool of influence in areas it deems valuable.
The Pravda network, also known as Portal Combat, is a sophisticated web of websites designed to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda. Active for over 17 years, with its earliest tracked activities dating back to 2013, the network disseminates fabricated news in various European languages. The network’s existence came to light through the efforts of the French Viginum Agency, responsible for monitoring and combating international digital interference. In February 2024, Viginum exposed a large-scale disinformation campaign orchestrated by the Pravda network across Europe. This revelation underscores the network’s persistent and evolving nature, adapting its tactics and extending its reach over time.
Moldova’s vulnerability stems from its geographical location between Ukraine and Romania, placing it at the crossroads of Eastern and Western European influence. Its recent EU candidacy status further complicates the situation, fueling tensions between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions within the country. Moldova’s historical ties to Russia as a former Soviet republic create a complex interplay of economic, cultural, and political influences, making it a prime target for disinformation campaigns seeking to exploit these divisions.
Russia’s historical foreign policy, rooted in territorial expansion and power projection, explains its focus on neighboring countries. Sophia Freuden, a researcher at the American Sunlight Project, explains that this pattern continues in the digital realm. Ukraine, even before the conflict in Donbas, was a major target of Russian disinformation. The Balkans, while not historically considered "Russian," represent a strategic backdoor into Europe. Many Balkan countries are EU and/or NATO members, or aspire to be, making them ideal conduits for inserting Russian disinformation into information spaces increasingly hostile to Moscow’s influence, especially with the EU’s ban on entities like RT.
The narratives propagated by the Pravda network mirror those seen globally, concentrating primarily on the war in Ukraine, portraying Russia as forced into the conflict due to US and NATO influence. This narrative aims to justify the invasion and shift blame away from Moscow. Additionally, Russia leverages anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and amplifies separatist and far-right ethno-nationalist sentiments in Eastern and Southeast Europe. This strategy aims to divide European populations, fuel anti-EU sentiment, and create a more vulnerable and fragmented Europe.
Countering Russian disinformation requires a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach. Freuden emphasizes the critical role of education in fostering media, digital, and AI literacy, empowering citizens to identify and resist disinformation. She also advocates for increased government funding for agencies and civil society organizations dedicated to monitoring and combating foreign disinformation campaigns. The recent decline of USAID funding has resulted in the closure of numerous counter-disinformation projects globally, creating a vacuum that anti-democratic actors like Russia and China exploit to further their agendas.