Russian Influence Operation Exposed in Norway Involving Sanctioned Propagandist
A Russian influence operation has been uncovered in Norway, where propagandist and sanctioned Kremlin agent Artem Kureyev infiltrated the preparations for the Arctic 2050 event at Nord University.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Center for Countering Disinformation.
The sanctioned propagandist Artem Kureyev, using a false identity, took part in organizing the Arctic 2050 event at Nord University, which coincided with the moment when Russia was set to chair the Arctic Council. The Kremlin’s goal was to create the image of a “constructive partner” in the Arctic and to divert attention from military activity in the region.
The investigation showed that Russia deliberately exploits academic platforms, where high levels of trust and minimal participant verification allow it to influence politicians, researchers, and media. Such Kremlin operations demonstrate that its foreign information influence extends beyond media channels and includes legal educational and expert formats.
Kureyev has worked for Russian intelligence for over ten years, while organizing trips for foreign journalists to temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine, building pro-Russian networks across Europe, and creating “expert” platforms to promote Kremlin narratives. Sanctions have been imposed against him and his project, the “African Initiative.”
“This situation once again demonstrates that Russian propaganda abroad is inextricably linked to intelligence services. Russia seeks vulnerable platforms to advance its influence, and Kremlin operations are not limited to the media space alone,” the Centre concludes.
Russian propaganda has been actively targeting Ukrainian refugees in Norway, portraying them as a social burden and a source of conflict with locals. According to Iryna Zemlyana, a media expert at the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), Kremlin narratives in Norway focus on alleged social costs and tensions between refugees and host communities.
These messages are part of a broader strategy to smear Ukrainians abroad, casting them as ungrateful, criminal, or even content to return to Russia, to undermine Ukraine’s international image. The IMI expert also warned that these narratives are increasingly exploited by local politicians to serve domestic interests, heightening social tensions.
A separate study by the Center for Information, Democracy, and Citizenship at the American University in Bulgaria highlights that Russian disinformation efforts are particularly concentrated in former Soviet and Balkan countries. Moldova, Latvia, and Estonia were the top three most disproportionately targeted countries, followed by Serbia and Armenia. Other countries in the top ten include Lithuania, Georgia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
As The Gaze reported earlier, a former Member of the European Parliament, Nathan Gill, has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for accepting bribes to promote Kremlin-aligned narratives.
Read more on The Gaze: Behind the Curtain: How Russia’s Propaganda Targets the Heart of Europe