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.
3/14
When the sanctions hit in 2022, Oleg “left” the Russian market — on paper. In reality, he transferred his Russian rail businesses to his sister Veronika Osinovskaya. Her company SIA Vero Trade kept importing train parts from Russia with at least 31 shipments in 2023.
4/14
Russian customs data shows Ossinovski-linked firms carried out 151 shipments from Russia in 2023, moving bearings, brake systems, seals and electrical components. These flows were routed through company entities registered in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Georgia.
5/14
His former company, now Vero Logistics (run by a close relative), hauled €777M worth of iron and iron ore from Russia into the EU in 2022–23 — much of it from Russian oligarch Usmanov’s Metalloinvest. This proves that his Russia trade stayed massive even after sanctions.
6/14
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Latvia are demanding a 4-year prison sentence and a 3-year ban on public tenders for Oleg Ossinovski over alleged bribery linked to locomotive sales. They’ve also called to confiscate half a million euros seized during his & his associate’s arrest.
7/14
Oleg has since passed the torch to his son, Jevgeni. In 2011, he donated €30k to the Social Democratic Party for his son’s first Parliament run. After local elections, another €50k followed, helping launch a career that led to ministerial posts and Tallinn’s mayoralty.
8/14
Jevgeni presents himself as a “bridge” between Estonia’s Russian speakers and the mainstream. His policies on integration and voting rights sound inclusive — but his campaign seed money came from Russian-linked business wealth.
9/14
Jevgeni has strongly argued against stripping local election rights from Russian citizens and “gray passport” holders in Estonia. According to him, most are loyal residents, and punishing them collectively would weaken security and undermine democratic principles.
10/14
“Gray passports” are aliens passports issued in Estonia to stateless residents, mostly Soviet-era settlers and their descendants. Given Estonia’s history of occupation under the USSR, suspicion toward gray passport holders and Russia apologists is hardly surprising.
11/14
I fail to see the logic in his statement, but Russian state media love people like him: they frame such figures as proof that Russian-linked elites can thrive in NATO states. They’re props for so-called ‘positive’ propaganda: ‘Russian heritage is no barrier in the Baltics.’
12/14
Ossinovski’s strategy has been seen across the Baltics since the 2000s:
– Build wealth via Russian state-linked industry;
– Channel it into politics through family ties;
– Rebrand as a “bridge-builder”;
– Let Kremlin media claim it proves the West’s fears are unfounded.
13/14
In Oleg’s case, we see the full package of Russian influence: shady deals, corruption, dirty Kremlin money, sanctions evasion by handing assets to relatives, and using funds to influence local politics.
A textbook case of oligarchy at work in Europe.
14/14
The 2nd edition of “Vatnik Soup — The Ultimate Guide to Russian Disinformation” is officially out!
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.
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.