DISINFO: The West creates unfriendly information space against Moscow in Kazakhstan
SUMMARY
One should not underestimate the overall information environment created by pro-Western media, bloggers, and opinion leaders against Russia. Following a significant increase in Western funding for local media and active social media users in Kazakhstan in the second half of 2022, they were able to qualitatively shift the general information agenda towards Moscow from neutral to rather unfriendly. In Kazakhstan, positive information about Russia is virtually non-existent in the local information space.
RESPONSE
This claim is a mix of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives claiming that the West is waging a hybrid war against Russia. This narrative fits into the broader disinformation theme about the West’s allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda against Russia, and about its alleged plans to destabilise and encircle Russia.
As has been pointed out by analysts, the term “Russophobia” is a Kremlin propaganda tool that identifies ordinary criticism and discussion of Kremlin actions with alleged enemies of Russia and actors who are responsible for intolerance and persecution of ethnic Russians.
The “fight against Russophobia” has been used to strengthen the internal control of the Russian authoritarian regime, to implement various foreign policy objectives, as well as to discredit NATO and EU enlargement in the eyes of the public.
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