Russian network that 'paid European politicians' busted, authorities claim

[Social Media]

 

Authorities across multiple countries have revealed the dismantling of a Russian-backed "propaganda" network accused of disseminating anti-Ukraine narratives and allegedly paying undisclosed European politicians. The network purportedly utilized the widely-read Voice of Europe platform as a conduit for influencing European politics through covert payments to lawmakers.

 

According to investigators, the network orchestrated a sophisticated operation aimed at shaping European political discourse, with the Czech Republic and Poland among the countries denouncing its activities. Reports indicate that Voice of Europe, a prominent website, served as a vehicle for channeling funds to politicians across Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hungary, with the intention of swaying upcoming European Parliament elections.

 

Media outlets in the Czech Republic, citing intelligence sources, revealed that politicians from several European nations received payments from Voice of Europe in exchange for advancing pro-Russian agendas. The clandestine transactions allegedly occurred through cash exchanges during secretive meetings in Prague or via cryptocurrency transactions.

 

The alleged mastermind behind the network, pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, has drawn scrutiny from Czech authorities. While Medvedchuk was apprehended in Ukraine following the Russian invasion, he was subsequently transferred to Russia in a controversial prisoner exchange.

 

Additionally, Czech authorities implicated Artyom Marchevsky, accusing him of overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Voice of Europe website. Both individuals have been subjected to sanctions by Czech authorities.

 

Poland's intelligence agency conducted raids in the Warsaw and Tychy regions, seizing substantial amounts of cash and cryptocurrency believed to be linked to the propaganda network. According to Poland's BIS, the funds, which amounted to millions of Czech crowns, were utilized to finance political actors disseminating Russian propaganda.

 

The network's objectives, as outlined by BIS, included undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. While the agency refrained from identifying the politicians implicated, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo disclosed that members of the European Parliament were among those targeted by the Russian-backed initiative.

 

Following the revelation, the Voice of Europe website was inaccessible, showcasing archived articles that propagated divisive narratives within European nations and cast doubts on support for Ukraine's sovereignty.

 

As investigations unfold and authorities pursue further actions, the exposure of this alleged propaganda network underscores the challenges posed by foreign interference in European politics and the imperative of safeguarding democratic processes against malign influence.

 

30.03.24

Source

 

[stevenl]

I am convinced Dutch party leader Thierry Baudet and his Forum voor Democratie party are involved. He physically threatened in parliament another MP when his party's very shady finances were questioned.

[jollyhangmon]

... about time, nothing new here, the tiny wanna-be genghis khan has been supporting (mostly) true neo-nazi fkers for a while now ...

 

 

Political Synergy: How the European Far-Right and Russia Have Joined Forces Against Brussels

https://www.jstor.org/stable/48600543

 

https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/russias-far-right-campaign-europe

 

We know Russia funds Europe’s far Right. But what does it get in return?

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/russia-ukraine-war-putin-europe-far-right-funding-conservatives/

 

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts about Trump contravening our Community Standards and the replies have been removed as this topic is about:

 

Russian network that 'paid European politicians' busted, authorities claim

 

 

[impulse]

Given that it takes at least 2 to do the payoff tango, I wonder why they decline to name the politicians being paid?

 

[stevenl]

On 3/30/2024 at 9:22 AM, stevenl said:

I am convinced Dutch party leader Thierry Baudet and his Forum voor Democratie party are involved. He physically threatened in parliament another MP when his party's very shady finances were questioned.

Police just conducted a raid on the offices of a dutch member of the European parliament for Forum voor Democratie because of his alleged involvement in this.

[Danderman123]

I wonder if any of the Putin fans here are being paid?

[Danderman123]

Russian disinformation sites linked to former Florida deputy sheriff, research finds

 

In an interview, Darren Linvill, co-director of the Watt Family Innovation Center Media Forensics Hub at Clemson, called Dougan “a tool of the broader Russian disinformation machine” whose websites “are just one of several mechanisms by which these narratives are distributed.”

 

Linvill noted the fake news websites had lately veered away from the narrow focus of undermining support for Ukraine. Recent fake articles include the false claims that the FBI wiretapped former President Donald Trump’s office at Mar-a-Lago, his estate in Florida, and that the CIA backed a Ukrainian plot to rig the election against Trump.  

[Chomper Higgot]

On 3/31/2024 at 3:19 PM, impulse said:

Given that it takes at least 2 to do the payoff tango, I wonder why they decline to name the politicians being paid?

 

It’s taken some time, but we at last agree on something.

[placeholder]

6 hours ago, stevenl said:

Police just conducted a raid on the offices of a dutch member of the European parliament for Forum voor Democratie because of his alleged involvement in this.

According to a source close to the investigation, the target of the raids is Guillaume Pradoura, a former assistant to embattled EU lawmaker Maximilian Krah, of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Pradoura -- who was expelled from France's National Rally over an anti-Semitic picture -- now works for the Dutch far-right lawmaker Marcel de Graaff.

The prosecutor's office said searches were being conducted at a staffer's home in Schaerbeek, northeast Brussels, and his offices in both Brussels and Strasbourg -- with cooperation from French authorities.

https://www.thelocal.com/20240529/police-search-european-parliament-over-possible-russian-meddling

[jollyhangmon]

Bloomberg, May 16th (paywall - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-16/germany-investigating-far-right-lawmaker-for-alleged-corruption  )

 

Germany Probing Far-Right Lawmaker for Alleged Corruption

AfD party confirms Petr Bystron’s office was raided Thursday

Bystron has denied taking money from pro-Russia media outlet

 

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AfD MP's offices raided over bribery probe

16 May 2024

 

German police have raided the offices of a leading member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over money-laundering and bribery allegations.

MP Petr Bystron is accused of receiving money from Russia in return for influence - something he denies.

Thursday's raids were carried out in a number of locations, including Munich, Mallorca and the MP’s parliamentary office in Berlin.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd13114xwkqo

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, jollyhangmon said:

Bloomberg, May 16th (paywall - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-16/germany-investigating-far-right-lawmaker-for-alleged-corruption  )

 

Germany Probing Far-Right Lawmaker for Alleged Corruption

AfD party confirms Petr Bystron’s office was raided Thursday

Bystron has denied taking money from pro-Russia media outlet

 

-----------------------------

 

AfD MP's offices raided over bribery probe

16 May 2024

 

German police have raided the offices of a leading member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over money-laundering and bribery allegations.

MP Petr Bystron is accused of receiving money from Russia in return for influence - something he denies.

Thursday's raids were carried out in a number of locations, including Munich, Mallorca and the MP’s parliamentary office in Berlin.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd13114xwkqo

Here's a link to get past the Bloomberg paywall: https://archive.ph/WDk04