In today's #vatniksoup, I'll continue introducing the international pro-Kremlin network called DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics). They're best-known for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation, and for collecting money to outlets like Rybar and Killnet.
1/19
In this second part of the series, we'll introduce the original poster of the doctored Pentagon leaks, French far-right activist, and of course some genocidal Russian fifth columnists who criticize the West while living and/or studying there.
2/19
As of today, DDG has almost 125 000 followers on X/Twitter, and even with artificial inflation it's one of the largest English-speaking, pro-Kremlin social media networks online.
In case you missed the first part of this series, you can find it here:
3/19
DDG is part of the larger "vatniksphere" who often collaborate on various projects, and they've been connected to other prominent pro-Kremlin propagandists like @jacksonhinklle and @geromanAT.
This investigation was done by The Unintelligence Agency.
4/19
DDG's chat is highly anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western, and most (if not all) of the admins have been actively participating in these conversations, probably from the comfort of their homes in the West, yet they fail to see the irony of that.
5/19
All people introduced here have/had administrator privileges on the DDG Telegram channel. Many of them are originally from Russia, others hail from the UK, France and Slovenia.
Without further ado, let's see who they are!
6/19
Luke H AKA Lucas Tiger/No U - Luke is a UK citizen who first shared the doctored Pentagon leaks to DDG's Telegram. Few months after the WSJ story, Luke was caught speeding without a license, after which he claimed that "Jesus was behind the wheel" and that...
7/19
..."Jeremy Clarkson would be proud" of his driving.
Regarding the photoshopped leaks, many key statistics of the conflict were modified in them, making it seem that Ukraine had lost much more troops and vehicles than Russia.
8/19
These fake leaks were spread and promoted extensively throughout the vatniksphere (for example by Douglas Macgregor) and were used a "proof" that Russia is winning the war in Ukraine.
As of today, the leaks are still available in the DDG chat.
9/19
Maria K AKA Masyanya (@venividivici_80) - Born to Russian parents in Latvia, Maria currently lives in the US. Even by DDG's standards, Maria is a real nasty piece of work. She's called for the destruction of Ukraine and killing of Ukrainians on many occasions, and even...
10/19
...cheered on deaths of Ukrainian children. Incidentally, she reports the accounts that disagree with her genocidal views for "hateful conduct". And all this from the safety and comfort of her home in Nevada, US.
11/19
Katarina A AKA Kata - A Russian import manager living in Chile. According to @squatsons, Kata may be flexing some US sanction laws through a PO box in the US. Even though she has permanent residency in Chile, she hasn't forgotten her Russian roots.
12/19
She has no trouble demeaning Ukrainians, calling for Ukraine to be "burned to the ground" and wearing a Wagner shirt. As of Aug 2023, Kata's also an admin on @squatson's TG.
13/19
Alex O AKA Alex - Alex is one of the many Russian students enjoying the hospitability of Europe while blaming these countries for absolutely everything. He's studied to become a surgeon in the UK, a NATO country.
What stopped you from studying in Russia, Alex?
14/19
Lydia O AKA Lydia - Lydia is a makeup and clothes saleswoman from Novosibirsk by day, and Kremlin propagandist by night. She's denied Russia's children abductions in Ukraine and the massacre in Bucha. She featured on DDG's 1st podcast, right after Bils was ousted as a fake.
15/19
Paul Le Meur (@plm203) - Le Meur is another administrator who goes by his real name and doesn't hide his face. He's in direct contact with a french propagandist Christelle Néant who has lived in Donbas since 2016.
16/19
Néant is also the founder of the French propaganda outlet called "Donbas insider". Paul claims to be a member of the extreme far-right "Reconquête" party, which is ironic since he's always complaining about the Ukrainian "neo-Nazis" - maybe they're the wrong kind of Nazis?
17/19
Kirill A AKA Fabushka (@fabushka_) - Mysterious Russian businessman who gave (sold?) Bils the @DD_Geopolitics account. Also, Kirill very much cheered over the doxxing of the wrong Pekka Kallioniemi and other NAFO figures.
18/19
Borut M AKA Area 52 (@Area5Z) - Slovenian (failed?) artist who accepted Hargreaves' classified documents, while the provider clearly labels them as "LEAKED".
Mr. Borat was also involved in the original Donbass Devushka group's merch sales and design.
Robert Amsterdam is also a registered (and well-paid!) agent of Maduro’s Venezuela, the socialist regime and ally of Russia which Tucker Carlson has recently defended for some reason, shocking many of his right-wing supporters.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, we’ll explain the context of the upcoming Budapest Blunder, and how it follows the infamous Alaska Fiasco from two months ago and Trump’s absurd delaying of serious aid to Ukraine and effective sanctions on Russia for the past nine months.
1/20
Two months ago, Trump embarrassed the United States by rolling out the red carpet for war criminal dictator Putin and overall acting like a pathetic servant eager to meet his master. Of course, the Alaska Fiasco didn’t bring peace any closer.
Worse, the main outcome of the humiliation was to delay serious sanctions, which the US Congress, in rare bipartisan unity against Russia, was on the verge of passing. Two weeks by two weeks, Trump Always Chickens Out, postponing any real pressure on Putin for 9 months now.
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.