In this research we have identified news websites in the EU and the US which reposted or quoted articles and interviews produced by the pro-Russian media platform “Voice of Europe” hit by a a recent scandal and sanctioned by the Czech government.
The Voice of Europe media platform, which found itself at the center of the scandal surrounding Russian influence in Europe on the eve of the European Parliament elections, is newly created, has a very small audience, and seems to be unremarkable. However, it has successfully invited European politicians to appear on its TV programmes and garnered quotes from numerous media outlets.
Spoiler alert: these quotes help identify which other news sites in Europe are promoting pro-Kremlin narratives, and the politicians supporting their efforts. Russian state propaganda media cite the EU-based website’s articles to confirm the ‘authoritativeness’ of the reporting and the information shared. This is what our analysis is about.
Who in Germany quotes the Voice of Europe?
In our analysis of the list of media outlets that quote the pro-Russian Voice of Europe platform, we found a number of German media outlets. During our previous research, we discovered a network of pro-Russian news websites, including those identified as quoting the Voice of Europe website.
By the way, the Voice of Europe website itself has recently resumed its operation, having migrated to hosting in Kazakhstan. The Czech government has imposed sanctions against this Kremlin-linked website. In Poland and Belgium, investigations are underway into the activities of a pro-Russian influence network that included this media platform.
In the Voice of Europe case we have seen that Moscow attempts using EU-registered news websites disguised as neutral or alternative to legitimize Russian propaganda narratives and increase the credibility of its statements, as almost no one in the world believes Russian state propaganda outlets like RT and Sputnik anymore.
So, let’s look at a few examples from Germany, where they publish narratives that are favorable to the Kremlin. These are the websites EpochTimes and Telepolis. RT (Russia Today) propagates identical narratives.
- Quote: “The BSW platform stands for new immigration restrictions, a revival of energy imports from Russia, and an end to the war in Ukraine through negotiations. Although Helsinki saw the largest job losses, some rural communities were disproportionately affected, sometimes losing a quarter of their local jobs.”
- Link: https://www.epochtimes.de/politik/ausland/wochenrueckblick-streiks-in-finnland-10-000-jobs-bei-zf-friedrichshafen-in-gefahr-teil-2-a4565895.html
- Quote: “How many Western mercenaries and special forces are fighting in Ukraine? According to Defense Ministry documents leaked in March 2023, there were at least 97 NATO special forces in Ukraine at the time: 50 British, 17 Latvian, 15 French, 14 US, and one Dutch. As Russia appears to be gaining the upper hand on the battlefield, perhaps irrevocably, the US and NATO face the long-feared dilemma: accept reality and encourage Ukraine to negotiate a diplomatic end to the war, or escalate and deploy NATO troops, as French President Emmanuel Macron recently suggested, to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia. It would be irresponsible to take the second path without exploring the first.”
- Link: https://www.telepolis.de/features/Wie-viele-westliche-Soeldner-und-Spezialkraefte-kaempfen-in-der-Ukraine-9661107.html
Extradienst is another example of how the Voice of Europe website supports the thesis.
- Quote: “Even the brave British, who like to boast of their pre-war support for Ukraine, including a joint “freedom of navigation operation” off Crimea in 2021, buried the idea of sending some kind of expeditionary force to Ukraine almost as quickly as it was born.”
- Link: https://extradienst.net/2024/02/12/das-putin-interview-und-der-bundeskanzler/
Another German website, quoting Voice of Europe, Peds Ansichten, claims that the media unfairly portray Putin and Russian propaganda as evil. They omitted the fact that Russia invaded a sovereign country, launched Europe’s bloodiest war since World War II, and spread disinformation and influence campaigns in Europe. Quotes below.
- “Over many years, emotional images are cemented in people’s minds and coupled with current events to create a desired mood. Moods that are intended to harm the political opponent. In this specific case, these are images of the “evil Russians,” “Kremlin boss Putin,” and “Russian propaganda.” Who is doing the most harm to Ukraine, i.e., the people of Ukraine, is a topic in itself.”
- “The current Ukrainian government has its roots in a coup financed and managed by the United States of America. The 2014 coup buried Ukraine’s already-shaky democracy. In the same year, a jolt went through the “community of values.” Washington now implemented the strategic decisions it had already made: To expand the newly created bridgehead of Ukraine in order to exploit it to the hilt in the process.”
- Link: https://peds-ansichten.de/2024/04/voice-of-europe-desinformation-meinungsfreiheit-zensur/
- Quotes: “A group of EU parliamentarians have sharply criticized Western Ukraine’s policies in a media-streamed discussion and called for a quick end to the war. The clearest statement came from a Dutch politician, reports RT.de.”
- “According to Southfront, “the first unit of the French Foreign Legion reportedly arrived in the area of the town of Slavyansk in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”
- Link: https://dissident.one/frans-leger-ingezet-in-slavyansk-volksrepubliek-donetsk-rapport
- Quote: “MEPs Marcel de Graaff and Joachim Kuhs have submitted an official request to the European community, drawing attention to the persecution of the UOC by the Ukrainian government, reports Voice of Europe. In his message on X, de Graaf argues, “Ukraine violates the rule of law and human rights.”
- Link: https://dissident.one/europarlementarier-de-graaff-de-beste-weg-naar-vrede-is-oekrainers-tot-overgave-dwingen
We have also spotted a multilingual international website that aims to stop wars. However, the Russia-Ukraine war does not call for Russian troops to withdraw from Ukraine’s captured territories.
- Quotes: “Putin’s draft treaty between Russia and Ukraine existed.”. “Stop expanding the US military base empire in Scandinavia.”
- Link: https://worldbeyondwar.org/de/Putins-Vertragsentwurf-zwischen-Russland-und-der-Ukraine-existierte/
The website LostInEU also quotes VoE and supports Russian narratives that Ukraine doesn’t want peace, while in fact Russian invading troops continue to occupy captured Ukrainian territories and attack Ukrainian positions to seize more lands. To achieve this, pro-Russian media twist a Ukrainian minister’s statement.
- Quote: “Kuleba: “We will resist the request for negotiations.”
- https://lostineu.eu/kuleba-werden-ruf-nach-verhandlungen-bekaempfen
Freiewelt is also known for spreading pro-Russian views in Germany and sharing information from VoE.
- Quote: “Ukrainians blame Zelensky for corruption. More than three-quarters of Ukrainians see President Volodymyr Zelensky as directly responsible for corruption in both the government and the military.”
- Link: https://www.freiewelt.net/nachricht/ukrainer-geben-selenskyj-schuld-an-korruption-10093969/
Our research also highlights the website Unser Mitteleuropa, which cites the VoE.
- Headline: The diplomatic wisdom of Kissinger’s visit to China highlights the crossroads in China-US relations.
- Link: https://unser-mitteleuropa.com/118420
Who is quoting the Voice of Europe website in France?
Another pro-Russian platform that clones RT, Le Réseau International, tried to make a little-known pro-Kremlin website famous in France. It added publications on free blogs by right-wing radicals. And then there is the website Les Moutons Enrages, which is also part of a network of pro-Kremlin websites.
The aforementioned “news” sites spread Kremlin fakes, including information that the Ukrainian government is sending pregnant women to the front. To spread this fake news, the Russians filmed a video about the alleged capture of a pregnant Ukrainian woman-soldier in a trench.
Numerous signs indicate that this video is fake, as they were edited by Moscow Film production. Despite refutations, pro-Russian resources lack fact-checking, and Le Réseau International and its clones continue to spread this Russian disinformation.
- Quote: “The Kiev regime sends women to the battlefields. Forced conscription of pregnant women. The head of the neo-Nazi junta, Volodymyr Zelensky, is obsessed with pleasing his NATO overlords, which means “military “victories” at any price.”
- Links: http://linformationnationaliste.hautetfort.com/archive/2023/11/20/le-regime-de-kiev-envoie-les-femmes-sur-les-champs-de-batail-6471866.html
- https://reseauinternational.net/le-regime-de-kiev-envoie-les-femmes-sur-les-champs-de-bataille-la-conscription-forcee-des-femmes-enceintes/
- https://lesmoutonsenrages.fr/2023/11/21/le-regime-de-kiev-envoie-les-femmes-sur-les-champs-de-bataille-la-conscription-forcee-des-femmes-enceintes/
The Canadian websites Mondialisation (in French) and Global Research (in English) also published this spoof.
- Link: https://www.mondialisation.ca/le-regime-de-kiev-envoie-les-femmes-sur-les-champs-de-bataille-la-conscription-forcee-des-femmes-enceintes/5683349
Another French website, Freedom.fr, disseminates Russian wishful thinking that Ukraine must capitulate.
- Quote: “MEP de Graaff: “The best way to achieve peace is to force the Ukrainians to capitulate.”.
- Link: https://freedomm.fr/blogs/60837/L-eurod%C3%A9put%C3%A9e-de-Graaff-La-meilleure-fa%C3% A7on-de-parvenir-%C3%A0
The Dreuz website shares an article with Russian views, voiced by pro-Russian Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban. It also quotes the Voice of Europe.
- Quote: “Orban: The world is in a dangerous situation, as the world’s leading superpower feels it is slipping into second place.”
- Link: https://www.dreuz.info/2023/07/orban-le-monde-se-trouve-dans-une-situation-dangereuse-alors-que-la-premiere-superpuissance-sent-quelle-glisse-vers-la-deuxieme-place-283832.html
The website Resistance Republicaine, which cites Voice of Europe, focuses on disseminating unfavorable coverage of Ukraine.
- Quote: “Croatia: state faces €196 million claim for yacht “Royal Romance” illegally seized by Ukraine.”
- Link: https://resistancerepublicaine.com/2024/03/17/intentions-et-agissements-delictueux-de-lukraine-contre-la-croatie/
We also spotted the website Egalite et Reconciliation, run by far-right conspiracy theorist Alin Soral.
- Link: https://www.egaliteetreconciliation.fr/Ventes-automobiles-en-Russie-reflux-europeen-et-forte-poussee-chinoise-73371.html
We also caught the website Les Observateurs, a website on the Swiss.ch domain and in French, quoting Voice of Europe.
- Link: https://lesobservateurs.ch/2023/07/26/rts-sound-of-freedom-cest-complotiste-qanon-dextreme-droite/
It’s no surprise that all of these French websites, quoting Voice of Europe, are on the network that we previously published.
Pro-Russian narratives and websites in Spain, the Netherlands, and Hungary
One by one, we identify allied websites quoting the Voice of Europe and spreading pro-Russian narratives and Kremlin influence in other European countries.
Russian propaganda primarily targets the Spanish audience with pro-Kremlin influence campaigns using their state media RT and News Front (Russian website registered on the domain .su (Soviet Union) and having many language versions). And both have quoted the Voice of Europe website to support the thesis that Ukraine must not join NATO and that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would mean World War III.
- https://es.news-front.su/2023/12/21/eslovaquia-vetara-la-adhesion-de-ucrania-a-la-otan-porque-seria-el-comienzo-de-la-tercera-guerra-mundial/
- https://actualidad-rt.com/actualidad/493138-ministro-eslovaco-vetar-ucrania-otan-guerra
- Quote: “Slovakia will veto Ukraine’s NATO membership because it would be the beginning of World War III.”
However, we also spotted a website named Buscando La Verdad (Looking for Truth). Unlike its name says, this website does not find the truth; instead, it finds and reposts Russian propaganda. See a few headlines below.
- Slovakia to veto Ukraine’s NATO membership because “it would be the beginning of World War III (RT
- BlackRock prepares for a global solar storm collapse.
- Are humans in control of world economic power?
- The European Parliament approves a new green rule that criminalizes farmers and ranchers.
- The world is preparing for an apocalyptic future.
- A secret financial club has been operating in Europe for more than 70 years.
- Link: https://buscandolaverdad.es/2023/12/28/eslovaquia-vetara-la-adhesion-de-ucrania-a-la-otan-porque-seria-el-comienzo-de-la-tercera-guerra-mundial/
Russian disinformation also targets Hungary. For instance, the website Magyar Nemzet wrote an article twisting the meaning of a Ukrainian minister’s statement, saying “Ukrainian Foreign Minister: We will do everything to silence the voices of peace!” and also supported Voice of Europe by citing its article.
- Quote: “We will do everything within the framework of international law and criminal law to silence these voices, said Dmitro Kuleba in an interview that was viewed by the Voice of Europe news portal. The Ukrainian foreign minister was referring to the growing positions and opinions in Europe, which emphasize the need for peace negotiations instead of the continuation of the war.”
- Link: https://magyarnemzet.hu/kulfold/2023/08/ukran-kulugyminiszter-mindent-megteszunk-hogy-elhallgattassuk-a-beke-hangjait
Sweden has not also escaped from Russian propaganda targeting. The Russians spread the narrative about a corrupt government in Ukraine, trying to dissuade Europe from supporting Ukraine in its defense war against the Russian invaders.
- Quote: “Ukrainians blame corruption on Zelenskyy. More than three-quarters of Ukrainians see President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as directly responsible for corruption in both the government and the military. “This is according to a new opinion poll, reports Voice of Europe.”
- Link: https://www.friatider.se/ukrainarna-skyller-korruptionen-pa-zelenskyj
Italy has not escaped from pro-Russian narratives and disinformation spreading. And we have spotted quotes from VoE too. Arianna Editrice is citing this notorious website; see a few sentences below.
- Quote: “A defeated army and a destroyed army are two different things. An army simply defeated in battle can often successfully retreat, reform, and rebuild its strength, as Rome did after the humiliation of Cannae, eventually destroying its great rival, Carthage. But when whole armies break up and lose the will to fight, the whole nation can also break up. That is what happened to the great empires in World War I, and it is also the fate that awaits the Ukrainian army.”
- “It is incredible how hard it is for the reality principle to make its way into the debate on Ukraine, tainted by the hybrid war of Atlanticist disinformation. In public, of course, because in private even the less stupid Atlanticists speak like the Pope: NATO and Kiev lost, Putin won, and, if there is no immediate negotiation, Russia can eat the rest of the country too.”
- Link: https://www.ariannaeditrice.it/articoli/l-esercito-ucraino-sta-cedendo
The Voice of Europe and pro-Russian politicians on the continent it has interviewed have received extensive coverage in Republika Srpska (known for pro-Russian views) as well.
- Quote: “The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said in an interview for the Voice of Europe that the EU has lost its European values and Christian foundations and has allowed America to interfere in its politics.”
- Link: https://www.atvbl.rs/republika-srpska/dodik-eu-izgubila-evropske-vrijednosti-i-hriscanske-temelje-10-1-2024
The Polish website Salon24 has also quoted VoE and spread Russian narratives that Moscow is fighting the Western forces in Ukraine.
- Headline: How many Western mercenaries are fighting in Ukraine?
Link: - https://www.salon24.pl/u/bezmetki/1367595,ilu-najemnikow-z-zachodu-walczy-na-ukrainie
The Estonian audience was also targeted.
- Headline: Nazi symbolism and child pornography found in German police chats | Voice of Europe
- Link: https://lemm.ee/post/3538357
The Union of Orthodox Journalists also cited the VoE website and spread the Russian assertion about attacks on freedom of religion in Ukraine, while those targeted by law enforcement were the priests of the Russian church acting as agents. Obviously, they get support from pro-Russian MEPs.
- Quote: “MEPs from the Netherlands and Germany said that the European Parliament demands an immediate response from Zelensky because of the “war on priests.”.”
- Link: https://spzh.media/en/news/76791-meps-appeal-to-eu-over-persecution-of-uoc
Websites linked to Voice of Europe and target American and global audiences
There are also multiple news websites in English, targeting American and global audiences which reposted or quoted “Voice of Europe”. Those are mainly media outlets that spread ultra-conservative, far-right and/or pro-Trump views, and also conspiracy theories.
A few headlines from News Target featured quotes from Voice of Europe.
- A German comedian calls for the “culling” of German and Austrian conservative politicians.
- The top 5 ways the FDA and CDC engaged in the genocide of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Russia is investigating a Ukrainian firm linked to Hunter Biden for financing terrorist attacks.
- A CIA officer confirms it has “advisors” in Ukraine—”a”well-known secret.”
- Link: https://www.newstarget.com/2024-02-22-german-comedian-culling-german-austrian-conservative-politicians.html
Russian state propaganda media and pro-Russian media networks also spread unsupported fake reports that the Ukrainian government is involved in killing foreign journalists.
- Headline: “The Ukrainian regime kills foreign journalists to hide corruption.”
- Link: https://weeklyblitz.net/2023/12/27/ukrainian-regime-kills-foreign-journalists-to-hide-corruption/
The fake evidence about foreign journalists killed by the “Kiev regime” was also spread by the pro-Russian Canadian website Global Research. This media has also been included in the pro-Russian website network.
- Quote: “Is the Kiev Regime Now Killing Foreign Journalists to Hide Its Corruption? In August, Egyptian journalist Mohammed al-Alawi revealed the purchase of a villa worth nearly $5 million by Olga Kiyashko, the mother-in-law of President Zelensky.”
- Link: https://www.globalresearch.ca/kiev-regime-now-killing-foreign-journalists-hide-corruption/5844278
Check out a few headlines from Conservapedia, which also created return links to the Voice of Europe website.
- A Ukrainian State Border Guard Service officer claims Kiev is destroying itself ‘from inside’.
- China is able to balance ties with Russia, the US, and Europe.
- China can deal with every challenge it faces.
- The majority of Ukrainians believe Zelensky is continuing the wrong war.
- Crimea’s complex history culminated in its return to Russia.
- Link: https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=NATO_war_in_Ukraine
Russian state propaganda media reposting interviews of pro-Russian MEPs produced by Voice of Europe
Finally, we will prove the affiliation of the Voice of Europe website and its related network of news sites in Europe directly with Russian state propaganda media and provide examples of Russians quoting VoE materials. A number of Russian media outlets, including RT in various language versions, Gazeta, Tass, and Sputnik Globe, have published propaganda materials that cite Voice of Europe.
Their articles support the Kremlin’s key narratives: Ukraine will lose, and the West must not support Ukraine.
- Quote: “Ukraine will lose”.
- Link: https://de.rt.com/europa/183622-eu-abgeordneter-de-graaff-bester-zum-frieden-ist-ukrainer-zur-kapitulation-zu-zwingen/
- Headline: Scott Ritter: Time for the US to Dump Zelensky
- Link: https://sputnikglobe.com/20231112/scott-ritter-time-for-us-to-dump-zelensky-1114889912.html
The Voice of Europe portal configured the system to interview pro-Russian politicians in Europe, including members of the European Parliament. The list includes Matthias Moosdorf and Marcel de Graaf. Agents of the Kremlin’s influence made pro-Russian statements or narratives that favored Moscow. And then the Russian state propaganda media quoted this resource and spread their statements, made, as it were, in a European publication. Here are a few examples.
- Quote: “The EU should treat other countries as equals and learn to work with them, and only then will it reach the BRICS level. The Voice of Europe portal quotes Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaf, who expressed this opinion. At the moment, the EU does not look in the mirror and does not see that it itself provoked the regime change in Ukraine, which actually jeopardized the security of Russia, as the portal quotes de Graaf.”
- Link: https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/19495113
- A quote: “Europe does not have its own opinion on the Ukrainian conflict but is forced to follow the rules set by the US. Bundestag deputy Matthias Moosdorf expressed this opinion, and the Voice of Europe portal published his words on December 15.”
- Link: https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/19557461
- Quote: “Matthias Moosdorf, a member of the Alba for Germany faction in the Bundestag, stated that Europe lacks a unique perspective on the Ukrainian conflict and must adhere to the rules established by the United States.”
- Link: https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2023/12/16/21939193.shtml
- Headline: “Leadership Utopia: Will France Become a Strong Player in the Indo-Pacific?”
Link: - https://russiancouncil.ru/blogs/snofmo/utopiya-o-liderstve-stanet-li-frantsiya-silnym-igrokom-v-indopatsifike/
Headline: “US politicians using government funds to ‘stimulate the economy’, an unprecedented deficit looms.”- Link: https://www.sott.net/article/483855-US-politicians-using-government-funds-to-stimulate-the-economy-unprecedented-deficit-looms-Bloomberg-analysis-reveals
- Headline: “The Russian federal mass media have published the names of French mercenaries fighting in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
- Link: https://www.sott.net/article/488061-Russia-releases-names-of-French-mercenaries-in-Ukraine-includes-son-of-a-General-of-Frances-Armed-Forces
And a few headlines from Natural News, a global news website which was also seen citing the Voice of Europe.
- The US is not a democracy, says Putin.
- The US has become a global laughing stock by criticizing democratic processes in other countries while suppressing its own presidential candidate.
- Bet on the CIA being the culprit in the Moscow mass murders, just like they were in the
- Las Vegas concert massacre and as they will be in the upcoming Black Swan events.
- Putin promises to destroy all those U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets piloted by Ukrainian soldiers.
- Link: https://www.naturalnews.com/2024-02-22-german-comedian-culling-german-austrian-conservative-politicians.html
- Headline: How many Westerners are fighting in Ukraine? There may be more foreign boots on the ground—troops and mercenaries—than you think.
- Link: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/foreign-fighters-ukraine/
- Headline: “Top US general caught on hot mic claiming USA likely bombed Nord Stream Pipeline”
- Link: https://revolver.news/2023/08/top-us-general-caught-on-hot-mic-claiming-usa-likely-bombed-nord-stream-pipeline/
- Headline: “Court Blocks Biden Administration From Illegally Censoring Americans Please support TGP in our continued attempts to preserve freedom in America.”
- Link: https://theconservativedispatch.com/2023/07/08/huge-win-for-gateway-pundit-and-america-court-blocks-biden-administration-from-illegally-censoring-americans-please-support-tgp-in-our-continued-attempts-to-preserve-freedom-in-america/
- Headline: “Ukraine: 2023 was a year of disappointment. Ever-present corruption, military failure, and flight from the country.”
- Link: https://popularresistance.org/ukraine-2023-was-a-year-of-disappointment/
- Headline: “Desperate France is set to deport ‘dangerous foreigners’.”
Link: - https://www.wnd.com/2023/11/desperate-france-set-violate-european-court-human-rights-deport-dangerous-foreigners/
Russia’s disinformation war against Europe
Depending on their level of bias and lack of credibility, the articles from Voice of Europe and European news websites that quote it fall into the following categories:
- Russian fakes about Ukraine
- Russian disinformation and distorted facts
- Pro-Russian narratives
- Demonization of the EU and the US
- Global conspiracy theories
Obviously, they aim to influence public opinion in EU countries, especially shortly before the European Parliament elections. The topics and style of the articles indicate that their main goals are to demand to stop the West’s support for Ukraine ensuring that Russia retains the Ukrainian territories seized in the illegal war.
At the same time, pro-Russian media outlets spread the Kremlin’s key narratives that the West is to blame for the war, that the Ukrainian government is corrupt, that the EU government neglects the needs of its citizens, that the United States is in decline, and that the Ukrainian army is close to defeat in the war. To reinforce their narratives, pro-Russian news websites interview politicians loyal to Russia who make the necessary statements to fit the Kremlin’s agenda.
On the other hand, pro-Russian media websites guarantee positive coverage for right-wing radical and eurosceptic politicians, whom they would be happy to see in the next European Parliament. Following that, Russia’s leading state media quotes these statements, pro-Russian bloggers spread them, and the Kremlin’s army of bots then supports them on a greater scale. This is how Russian propaganda works, trying to sway public opinion in Europe.
All of this indicates that Russia is waging an active war against Europe on the information battlefield through propaganda, disinformation, and its agents of influence. As investigations in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Belgium show, European governments have begun to counter Russian attempts to influence political processes in the EU. However, the scale of pro-Russian information attacks and the number of seemingly cloned websites require more measures to fight them back.
