Russia has plotted a series of malign influence operations in several European nations with the intention of presenting a façade of pro-Russian sentiments and widespread discontent towards Russia sanctions and military aid to Ukraine. The events, which include demonstrations and rallies, have been scheduled ahead of the Munich Security Conference, starting on February 18th, in an effort to cause doubt about the West’s unity in countering Russia’s armed aggression.
Organizations and parties from both the far-right and left-wing political spheres are said to be involved in these operations, with participants recruited from those initially engaged by Russia’s communist regime to support anti-war movements in the West. Pro-Russian activists, who have been to the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine or taken part in propaganda events in Russia, are expected to attend these events.
In addition to the actions in Great Britain, similar events have been organized in Portugal by the “Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation”, a legal successor of the pro-communist “Movement for Peace in Portugal”. Meanwhile, in Germany, a demonstration with the slogan “Negotiating instead of shooting” has been scheduled to take place on February 18th, with support from the right-wing populist party “Alternative für Deutschland”.
These operations are expected to promote demands for an end to hostilities in Ukraine, direct political dialogue with Moscow, rejection of sanctions, and an end to military aid to Ukraine. It is believed that these events are directly connected with Russian intelligence operations, with the preparation for them coinciding with announcements of new packages of military aid to Ukraine and a surge in Russian propaganda.
Source: Robert Lansing Institute
