1/🚨 Tommy Robinson and Russia🚨Given recent days, questions should be asked about Robinson's links to Russia.
In 2020, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) went to Moscow & St Petersburg.
This marked his 1st overt meeting with figures tied to malign elements within Russia. Some he met specialise in foreign influence operations / spreading disinformation.
2/ ✈️ Arrival in Russia
Robinson arrived in Moscow on Feb 20, 2020; the trip was first publicised by pro-Kremlin journalist Edvard Chesnokov.
Chesnokov is deputy editor of Komsomolskaya Pravda & a notable pro-Putin journalist, having previously worked at Izvestia.
Robinson recorded an episode for Tsargrad TV, a conservative channel with deep ties to the Kremlin and characters like Alexander Dugin. #Russia #TsargradTV
Tsargrad is owned & funded by Konstantin Malofeev, who has extensive ties to the Kremlin & the global far right.
rferl.org/a/russian-news…
ft.com/content/844815…
3/ 📰 Press Conference
On Feb 21, Robinson attended a press conference with Alexander Malkevich, a key figure in Russian influence ops & a close associate of the late Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Malkevich’s network includes the Internet Research Agency, known for its role in US election interference. #WagnerGroup
Malkevich was included on the 2018 US Treasury sanctions list for his role as head of USA Really, a news agency presented as a domestic US news outlet (sound familiar!?).
home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…
4/ 🎥 Media Engagement
Robinson’s visit was covered extensively by Russian media, including Komsomolskaya Pravda and RT.
He was interviewed by RT's Oksana Boyko for the program “Worlds Apart.”
Vecherniaia Moskva published an interview with Robinson, written by Kamran Gasanov, a Tsargrad correspondent who has bylines with RT, Sputnik and Regnum.
RIA FAN, a news outlet controlled at the time by Prigozhin, & directly connected to the Internet Research Agency, also published an article on the press conference, as well as airing a short video interview with Robinson on FAN-TV.
vm.ru/society/782421…
web.archive.org/web/2021051713…
themoscowtimes.com/2017/03/24/rus…
5/ 🎤 Public Appearances
Robinson spoke at a Libertarian Party of Russia conference and the Listva bookshop in St. Petersburg, known for its far-right affiliations.
His engagements underscore the support & platform provided by Russian far-right networks.
6/ 🤔Final thoughts
On his trip to Russia, Robinson met some of the most dangerous malign actors in Europe - some of which were already sanctioned by the US & Europe. His trip was extensively covered by state media, which could indicate a degree of Kremlin approval.
Many of the folks he met - in particular Malkevich and Chesnokov - are powerful, well connected, dangerous and *specialise* in disinformation and foreign influence operations.
For all his "man of the people" schtick, he was happily hanging out with people in Russia who despise Britain, democracy and the rule of law - and people who are actively seeking to destroy our way of life.
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