Russian pragandists create mirror sites to dodge EU sanctions – media

This is reported by Bloomberg, Ukrinform saw.

As noted, the EU imposed sanctions against RT on March 2, 2022, banning its content and suspending its broadcasts across the Union. The decision was based on the fact that Russia "has engaged in a systematic, international campaign of disinformation, information manipulation and distortion of facts in order to enhance its strategy of destabilization." But after the shutdown of RT offices in France and Germany, Russia has been looking for various ways to bypass sanctions, the publication notes.

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The RT site is currently unavailable in the EU, but there are several mirror sites that circulate the same praganda content. One of them, according to the WHOIS domain registration directory, was registered only three days after the announcement of sanctions by RT's licensee, ANO TV Novosti. According to research group Reset, RT uses a total of 19 such sites to spread praganda across the EU.

The article notes that Sputnik also erates through mirror sites.

Eurean Commissioner Vera Jourova, who is responsible for countering disinformation, says the Commission is aware of mirror sites and is working with member states to effectively apply sanctions.

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RT content is distributed in many languages across different platforms so its removal requires constant vigilance. Although YouTube deletes the accounts of sanctioned media outlets, RT broadcasts are still regularly reposted, in what experts call a never-ending game of whack-a-me game, the article noted.

According to Latvian diplomat Baiba Braze, who until June served as NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Russia continues to use "regular massive disinformation erations in various countries to influence election outcomes and doubt election integrity."

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“Russia’s war-fighting doctrine allocates significant attention to unconventional warfare,” Braze said. “Any Western country and pitical, business, cultural, NGO leader, journalist and influencer should be aware that Russia’s warfare doctrine invves interest in them.”

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the EU called the X social network the biggest source of Russian disinformation.

Photo: Misha Friedman/Getty Images