cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/4335847
In recent years, Georgian authorities have repeatedly and intensively accused the country’s Western partners, including the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom, of funding civil society organisations to organise revolutions and remove the authorities from power. These accusations are amplified by pro-government media outlets such as TV Imedi and POSTV, aiming to discredit pro-democracy actors, civil society, and undermine Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
A closer examination of these disinformation campaigns reveals an orchestrated effort led by the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR. The available evidence suggests that Georgian Dream and its primary propaganda platforms are effectively serving as instruments of Russian FIMI in Georgia. The cases outlined below demonstrate that Kremlin and Georgian Dream propaganda not only promote identical narratives but also deploy similar tactics, indicating not only a strong alignment of interests but also potential coordination.
These recurring accusations of Western interference are designed to erode public trust in Georgia’s international partners, paint the West as a destabilising force, and ultimately undermine the country’s European integration trajectory.
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Strong alignment of the disinformation campaign between Russia’s intelligence services and Georgian propaganda media outlets reveals a clear pattern of coordination.
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The overarching goal is to undermine public trust in democratic actors – civil society, opposition, and independent media – by branding them as agents of foreign subversion. Russia’s strategic aim is to sow anti-Western hostility, erode Georgia’s ties with its Western partners, and keep the country within Moscow’s sphere of influence.
High level Georgian authorities echo Russian disinformation narratives in verbatim. Moreover, Georgian state institutions, such as the State Security Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs, have been weaponised to legitimise and propagate false claims, which are then packaged and disseminated through affiliated media.
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