Working the Western Hemisphere: How Russia spreads propaganda about Ukraine in Latin America and the impact of platform responses
Security Theme
Strategic Competition
Keywords
Russian Activities, Russia, Ukraine, Latin America, Propaganda, Media Influence, Diplomacy
Description
As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine unfolded, Russian state media and diplomatic accounts engaged in a coordinated effort to spread propaganda globally, including intensively in Latin America. This analysis reveals that the proportion of posts about Ukraine by these accounts tripled, and engagement increased significantly on Twitter, though dropping on Facebook. Kremlin propaganda aimed to justify the invasion and deflect blame for global shortages, using influencers, particularly independent Spanish-speaking journalists. The impact on public opinion in Latin America, containing both U.S. partners and Moscow's friends, remains uncertain. The document proposes concrete steps for the U.S. to address the challenge, emphasizing increased public diplomacy resources, support for independent media and fact-checkers, and transparency in platform policies to counter the spread of Russian state-backed content. The focus should be on highlighting Kremlin disinformation tactics rather than engaging in "whataboutism" and aligning efforts with democratic principles.
Working the Western Hemisphere: How Russia spreads propaganda about Ukraine in Latin America and the impact of platform responses
As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine unfolded, Russian state media and diplomatic accounts engaged in a coordinated effort to spread propaganda globally, including intensively in Latin America. This analysis reveals that the proportion of posts about Ukraine by these accounts tripled, and engagement increased significantly on Twitter, though dropping on Facebook. Kremlin propaganda aimed to justify the invasion and deflect blame for global shortages, using influencers, particularly independent Spanish-speaking journalists. The impact on public opinion in Latin America, containing both U.S. partners and Moscow's friends, remains uncertain. The document proposes concrete steps for the U.S. to address the challenge, emphasizing increased public diplomacy resources, support for independent media and fact-checkers, and transparency in platform policies to counter the spread of Russian state-backed content. The focus should be on highlighting Kremlin disinformation tactics rather than engaging in "whataboutism" and aligning efforts with democratic principles.