European Politicians "on Putin's Payroll": Czech Intelligence Exposes Russian Influence Network in the EU

European Politicians "on Putin's Payroll": Czech Intelligence Exposes Russian Influence Network in the EU

The Czech Republic has uncovered a network of Russian influence that spread pro-Russian propaganda in Europe and attempted to sway elections. Among them was the website "Voice of Europe," which for a long time disseminated pro-Russian narratives. Additionally, it has been revealed that this website receives funding directly from Russia, reports Denikn.

The "Voice of Europe" portal was used to spread information aimed at convincing the European Union not to provide assistance to Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression, which began in February 2022. On March 27, the Czech government included it in the sanctions list. According to a representative of the Czech government, the pro-Russian network exposed by Czech intelligence (BIS) took actions that "could significantly impact the security of the Czech Republic and the EU." 

In turn, intelligence stated that its operation showed how Russia extends its influence over EU member states' territories and works to influence political processes in our countries. "We were able to identify and map the activities of the influence network, which is financed by Russia and operates in the Czech Republic. BIS's action showed how Russia influences EU countries' territories and tries to influence political processes in our countries," BIS stated. 

Following BIS's investigation, the Czech government also included in the sanctions list former Ukrainian MP and businessman close to the Kremlin Viktor Medvedchuk and his associate Artem Marchevsky due to their activities within this network. The latter was responsible for the pro-Russian content and narratives in "Voice of Europe." 

It is also reported that some European politicians who cooperated with the "Voice of Europe" portal and allowed publications calling for an end to aid to Ukraine allegedly received money from Russian funds, which also financed campaigns in future European Parliament elections. Payments specifically targeted politicians from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Poland.