In today's Finnish #vatnik's, I'll introduce you to a podcast called LEVELI. The main hosts of the show are two gentlemen: Nico Giansanti (.@ReaverTeknoGods) and Milad Dehghan.
Embrace yourselves, 'tis is a rather long one. 🧵1/11
LEVELI podcast was started on April in 2020. At the beginning, the show was hosting guests that ranged from minor celebrities to actual well-known celebs (e.g. Mikko Hyppönen (.@mikko) and even the Finland's biggest OSINT star, .@emilkastehelmi) in the Finnish media sphere. 2/11
From the beginning, LEVELI was very anti-establishment and countercultural with conspiracies, mysticism and numerology thrown in the mix. They also covered more lighthearted topics such as social media drama and e-celebs. 3/11
In 2021,both Nico and Milad decided to run in the 🇫🇮 municipal elections. They chose their party, True Finns, based on an online poll conducted during one of their podcasts. Milad was elected to Vantaa city council and Nico earned the seat of deputy city council in Helsinki. 4/11
They were eventually sacked from True Finns for criticising the party leadership. Party secretary Arto Luukkanen (.@ArtoLuukkanen) commented that "Anyone can look at their podcast and figure out the reason for this [the sacking]". 5/11
After this, the duo joined Ano Turtiainen's (.@TurtiainenAno) VKK party ("Power to the people"). This group is by far the most Russian leaning party in Finland, and their sole MP Ano has constantly stated the sanctions against Russia should be lifted. 6/11
LEVELI is divided into different segments. In one of them, they go through and discuss different news and counterculture news. Another key segment is the part where they ridicule people who they disagree with, for example politicians and journalists. 7/11
In one show they fried Finnish president Sauli Niinistö (.@niinisto) in an electric chair. In another one Milad praises 🇷🇺's mobilization celebrations.After 🇷🇺 attacked Ukraine in Feb 2021,their podcast has dedicated large segments to spreading Russian disinfo and propaganda.8/11
Generally their reporting and discussion is extremely biased,and they often make assumptions based on conspiracies, numerology and other pseudoscientific bs. Topics vary from COVID-19 conspiracies, alleged corruption in Finland/West, WEF/Great Reset, anti-NATO narratives,etc.9/11
LEVELI has been looking for various monetization channels throughout the years. Probably most of their income comes from individual benefactors on their stream, but they also have a subscription model with private channels, etc. 10/11
They also sell some merch through their website (including #jauhojengi shirts). Both Milad and Nico are also doing music and trying to start several sub-projects such as MMA and travel shows. 11/11
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In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll discuss the Wagner Group, its founders Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, and the mutiny they started on 23 Jun 2023. The event marked the climax of the Wagner Group–Russian MoD conflict, and finally led to the deaths of Prigozhin and Utkin.
1/22
Wagner has been used in many conflicts around the world, but they came to global prominence during the war in Donbas in 2014-2015. Wagnerites helped the Donbas separatists fight against the Ukrainians during the conflict, which helped Putin to “outsource” the insurrection.
2/22
The group doesn’t have any central ideology, but many of its members and leaders have ties to various neo—Nazi movements in Russia. For example, Wagner leader Dmitry Utkin had several Nazi symbols tattooed on his body. Neo—nazi group Rusich has also fights as part of Wagner.
3/22
In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll introduce an Amsterdam-based propaganda channel, Bonanza Media (@bonanzamedia2). It’s best-known for producing & spreading online pro-Kremlin propaganda videos while closely coordinating & collaborating with the Russian intelligence agency GRU.
1/19
Russian intelligence has been extremely active in the Netherlands for a long time. For example in 2018, four GRU agents were caught while trying to hack into OPCW,an organization that monitors the use of chemical weapons. In addition, the International Criminal Court (ICC)…
2/19
…and the MH17 investigation have become targets for the Russian intelligence and propaganda operations. These operations are often complemented with “investigative journalism” media outlets, that often echo the Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation.
In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll talk about the recent EU elections and what are their implications for both the Kremlin and Ukraine. Right-wing political parties, some pro-Kremlin, won a lot of seats around Europe, and this result can also change the EU’s stance on Ukraine.
1/19
But before we start, I want to promote a truck fundraiser I'm doing together with the fantastic @ArturRehi and @69thSB.
Our goal is 20 000 USD, and you can contribute to this important fundraiser here:
EU’s support of Ukraine is essential for their survival against genocidal Russia. So far,this support has been delayed mostly by Orban’s Hungary (& to some degree, Fico’s Slovakia). Now, this support will probably be challenged by many new members of the European Parliament.
3/19
In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll discuss a specific propaganda/disinformation that the Kremlin likes to use – antisemitism. I also talk about how the Russian society itself has become riddled with antisemitism & how this has led to a decrease in Jewish population in the country.
1/19
Russian antisemitism works on many levels, and their narratives vary depending whether they’re targeting a local audience or people in Europe and the US. For example for the latter, Russia attempts to create a false narrative of Ukraine being an antisemitic “Nazi state”.
2/19
But before diving deeper, let’s look at a survey data of Russians in 2023: Nearly 30 million Russians harbour antisemitic attitudes, and 15% of those surveyed believed that “Jews were responsible for most of the world’s wars.” 38% think that the Jews have...
In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll introduce a Ukrainian media personality and propagandist, Diana Panchenko (@Panchenko_X). She’s best-known for betraying her own country by peddling anti-Zelenskyy and anti-Ukraine propaganda and disinformation for the Kremlin.
1/22
Panchenko was born in 1988 in the Mykolaev Oblast in Ukrainian SSR in 1988. She studied publishing and editing at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and later graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a degree in law.
2/22
After graduating, Diana worked briefly for the news site . Between 2010 and 2015, Panchenko was a presenter for KyivTV, but she found her true calling as a pro-Kremlin propagandist after she was hired by a national “news channel” called NewsOne.