In today's #vatniksoup, I'll introduce a Swedish social media personality, Merdan E AKA @mdfzeh. He's best-known for threatening pro-Ukrainian voices, and for desperately trying to delete his social media accounts.
This research was conducted by the Unintelligence Agency.
1/7
This soup was brewed, not because Merdan is a prominent or notable figure in the vatnik scene, but because he threatened me and my imaginary girlfriend.
As of today, his activities and his associates have been reported to the Swedish police.
2/7
Merdan's family is originally from Turkmenistan, and his father came to Sweden from Russia in 1994. He was granted political asylum and eventually became a Swedish citizen. Unlike his son, the father claims to be "integrated into Swedish society".
3/7
Like his father, "Ghost" currently lives in Luleå, Northern Sweden with his wife and children. He's currently learning Russian, Chinese and German on Duolingo so he might be thinking of relocating to BRICS or to Germany if AfD wins the election by a landslide.
4/7
Merdan might also be involved in some kind of troll farm activity, as he's created hundreds and hundreds of e-mail accounts with similar names and with same password. Incidentally, he blames NAFO for "creating burner accounts" and for reporting him.
5/7
In the past few days, Merdan has been meticulously deleting all of his social media accounts, including the one on Facebook and on VKontakte. In the latter, he was a big fan of Igor Girkin's and also followed a page called Reports from the militia of Novorossiya.
6/7
Now, threatening someone with violence is a serious crime in Sweden. We have plenty of proof of this, and other stuff, and the authorities have been informed.
You decided to fuck around, now it's time to find out.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce American propagandist Alexandra Jost, aka “Sasha” (@sashameetsrus). She’s best known for being paid by the Russian state to spread pro-Kremlin propaganda — and for doing it with a big smile.
1/23
Alexandra, now 26, was born in Hong Kong. Her father is from Texas, and her mother is from Siberia. According to her, she has “dreamed of living in Russia since childhood.” Sasha's mother runs a dance studio in Moscow and her younger brother is avoiding mobilization.
2/23
Since the beginning of her creator career, Sasha has been adamant about one thing: that she’s “never had to be paid” to speak of her “love” for Russia. But, as always with Russia, this turned out to be nothing but vranyo — a Russian “tactical lie.”
In today’s Vatnik Soup REBREW, I’ll reintroduce an American political commentator and pro-Kremlin propagandist, Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson). He’s best known for his promotion of crazy conspiracy theories and for his support of authoritarian regimes around the world.
1/24
Tucker’s career spans decades, but he’s also been very active in recent years, so a lot has happened since our previous soup on him, which can be found here:
Once described as “the most powerful conservative in America”, Tucker has now fully transformed into a grifting conspiracy theorist and propagandist willing to work for whoever pays him the most. It’s unclear whether Tucker truly believes his endless conspiracy theories or…
3/24
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll cover the agenda-setting and flood of disinformation that spread on X and other platforms right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. It’s far from the first or last time a tragedy has been weaponized for political purposes.
1/18
Every major political event, especially those involving violence, attracts massive attention. In the immediate aftermath, reliable information is scarce, making it highly vulnerable to both coordinated and improvised disinformation campaigns.
2/18
As I’ve mentioned in my previous soups and lectures, in disinformation campaigns, being first with a narrative is crucial, as people often remember the first version best — psychology studies show it sets the mental schema, and later updates rarely overwrite it.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce American social media personality David Freeman, AKA Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman). He’s best known for spreading political disinformation on X and shamelessly sucking up to Trump, Putin, and other authoritarian leaders.
1/22
David is a textbook example of someone profiting from MAGA grievance politics. He uses extreme, provocative language to farm engagement on X and never hesitates to flatter anyone who might give him more exposure — or money.
2/22
But David wasn’t always like this. At some point, in his mid-40s, he even tried a real job: he trained to become a cop. He spent three years with the Metro Transit PD, but after that he either got fired or quit, and never looked back.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce a Russian-Estonian businessman, Oleg Ossinovski. He is best-known for his deep ties to Russian rail and energy networks, shady cross-border dealings, and for channeling his wealth into Estonian politics.
1/14
Oleg made his fortune via Spacecom Trans & Skinest Rail, both deeply tied to Russia’s rail system. Most of this is through Globaltrans Investments PLC, a Cyprus-based firm with 62% held via Spacecom and tens of millions in yearly profits.
2/14
Ossinovski’s Russian-linked ventures made him Estonia’s richest man in 2014, with an estimated fortune of ~€300M. His business empire stretched across railways, oil via Alexela shares, and Russian bitumen imports from Help-Oil, a supplier to the Defense Ministry.