Pekka Kallioniemi Profile picture
Feb 12 18 tweets 7 min read Read on X
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll discuss how Estonia deals with the Russian threat. Estonia’s Internal Security Service (KAPO) published their 2023-2024 annual review some time ago, and it’s packed with insights on Russian hybrid operations in the region.

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Estonia is at the frontlines against Russia’s hybrid war, and they’ve been targeted by the Kremlin for decades. Russia’s main goal remains the same: undermine Estonia’s constitutional order. To do this, they use intimidation, propaganda & cyber warfare to stir unrest.

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Like in all Baltic countries, one of their major tools is the manipulation of ethnic Russians in Estonia. The Kremlin pushes propaganda to create divisions, but recent surveys show integration is improving. The Kremlin is losing its grip.

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Russia has also been orchestrating hybrid attacks. These include fake bomb threats at Estonian schools, coordinated cyber attacks, misinformation campaigns on social media, and pressuring Russian citizens abroad to act in the Kremlin’s interests.

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In 2023, Russian intelligence services conducted several hybrid operations at the Estonian border. They harassed Ukrainian refugees at checkpoints, filmed staged migrant crossings for propaganda, and used FSB agents to intimidate travelers.

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Kremlin-backed Orthodox leader Metropolitan Eugene was expelled from Estonia in 2024. He was a key player in Russian influence operations, pushing Moscow’s agenda under the guise of religion. The Russian Orthodox Church has long been a tool…

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…of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaigns. It plays a role in justifying Russia’s actions in Ukraine, spreading anti-Western narratives & fostering division in countries with Orthodox communities. Estonia has acted decisively to curb its influence.
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Russian “comedians” Vovan and Lexus have made prank calls around Europe, impersonating as foreign officials and tricking Western leaders like Giorgia Meloni. They also tried to trick the former Estonian PM Kaja Kallas, but she didn’t fall for it.

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Sanctioned Russian media, like Sputnik, still try to operate in Estonia. In 2024, KAPO arrested a person secretly working for Rossiya Segodnya, violating EU sanctions. The Kremlin understands how important it is to control the local media space.

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Cybersecurity threats have surged. Russian and Iranian hackers have targeted Estonia’s critical infrastructure, focusing on water and heating systems. Meanwhile, Russian state-backed cybercriminals tried to sabotage aid to Ukraine.

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But it's not only Russia conducting hybrid operations in Estonia - the CCP intelligence is targeting researchers, businesses, and government data, using economic influence and pressure tactics. A Chinese agent was recently sentenced to 8.5 years for spying in Estonia.

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Russian intelligence is still using embassies around the world as spy hubs. Estonia has expelled 18 diplomats/spies since 1991. Moscow is desperately trying to rebuild its intelligence networks, but so far they’ve failed miserably.

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Russians in Estonia face intense recruitment pressure from Moscow. The Kremlin calls for their loyalty & many are targeted for intelligence work.Recently, Estonian Aivo Peterson attempted to create an “anti-Estonian” movement & was arrested for that.
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Estonia has been cracking down on risky behaviors that could pose security threats. This includes gambling debts and financial vulnerabilities, unreported income from cryptocurrencies, and drug use among security clearance applicants.
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All of these factors make individuals potential targets for foreign recruiters, and Russia has used Telegram to recruit low-level criminals to do their bidding, encouraging them to sabotage aid to Ukraine, attack politicians and journalists, etc.

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After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a lot has changed in Estonia. Russian intelligence operations have become more aggressive and even desperate. But Estonia is adapting fast, exposing and countering these threats before they can cause real harm.

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To conclude, Estonia is one of the few countries that have been able to prepare for Russian hybrid attacks. The Kremlin will keep on provoking and attacking their Baltic neighbor, but so far Estonia has been able to resist and fight against all this extremely well.

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You can now pre-order the 2nd edition of "Vatnik Soup — The Ultimate Guide to Russian Disinformation"! This updated version, featuring pre-order extras, will be released on the 15th of February 2025.

Pre-order your copy here:

kleart.eu/webshop/p/vatn…

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More from @P_Kallioniemi

Jul 28
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce a Russian politician and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, Sergey Kiriyenko. He’s best known for running both domestic and foreign disinformation and propaganda operations for the Kremlin.

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On paper, and in photos, Kiriyenko is just as boring as most of the Kremlin’s “political technologists”: between 2005-2016 he headed the Rosatom nuclear energy company, but later played a leading role in the governance of Russia-occupied territories in Ukraine.

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What is a political technologist? In Russia, they’re spin doctors & propaganda architects who shape opinion, control narratives, and manage elections — often by faking opposition, staging events, and spreading disinfo to maintain Putin’s power and the illusion of democracy.

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Read 21 tweets
Jul 27
Let me show you how a Pakistani (or Indian, they're usually the same) AI slop farm/scam operates. The account @designbonsay is a prime example: a relatively attractive, AI-generated profile picture and a ChatGPT-style profile description are the first red flags.

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The profile's posts are just generic engagement farming, usually using AI-generated photos of celebrities or relatively attractive women.

These posts are often emotionally loaded and ask the user to interact with them ("like and share if you agree!").

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Then there's the monetization part. This particular account sells "pencil art", which again are just AI-generated slop.

Country code for the phone number is in Pakistan.

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Read 5 tweets
Jul 15
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce an American lawyer and politician, Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee). He’s best-known for opposing the aid to Ukraine, undermining NATO by calling the US to withdraw from the alliance, and for fighting with a bunch of braindead dogs online.

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Like many of the most vile vatniks out there, “Based Mike” is a lawyer by profession. He hails from the holy land of Mormons, Utah, where he faces little political competition, allowing him to make the most outrageous claims online without risking his Senate seat.

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Before becoming a senator, Mike fought to let a nuclear waste company dump Italian radioactive waste in Utah, arguing it was fine if they just diluted it. The state said no, the public revolted, and the courts told poor Mikey to sit down.

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Read 23 tweets
Jul 14
While Ukrainians are terror bombed on a daily basis, rich Russians live in Europe like kings and queens.

This young lady lives in Portugal, and travels freely to Ibiza...
...the Alps...
... and of course Paris.
Read 5 tweets
Jul 7
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce an American national security policy professional and the current under secretary of defense for policy, Elbridge Colby (@ElbridgeColby). He’s best-known for fighting with cartoon dogs online and for halting military aid to Ukraine.

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Elbridge "Cheese" Colby earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Before entering government, he worked at top think tanks and in the intelligence community, focusing on nuclear policy and strategic planning.

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Cheese quickly became a key voice for a “China First” strategy, arguing the US must prioritize military buildup in Asia over commitments in Europe or the Middle East. He sees (or saw, rather) Taiwan as the core test of US credibility.

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Read 23 tweets
Jul 6
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’m going to talk about… Vatnik Soup! As some of you know, we also have a website where you can find every soup ever published. The site also has other useful resources, making it the most comprehensive resource on Russian disinformation & vatniks.

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Unfortunately, Elon has flagged the website as malware, as he might not be very happy about the soups I wrote about him - so far, they have garnered over 60 million views on X/Twitter.

The “freedom of speech” spokesperson doesn’t seem too keen on free speech, after all.

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The heart & soul of the website is of course the soups page. There you can find all 360+ soups, which can be sorted chronologically, by popularity, etc. You can also search for soups by title or even in the soup text:

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vatniksoup.com/en/soups/
Read 15 tweets

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