Kremlin scales up propaganda network in Africa - DIU

Kremlin scales up propaganda network in Africa - DIU

Ukrinform
The Russian Federation is actively expanding its influence on the information space of the African continent, using state media resources to promote Kremlin propaganda.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on Facebook.

“State media resources, in particular the TASS agency and RT television channel, are actively used to promote Kremlin narratives. Today, Russian propaganda media broadcasts are carried out in more than 40 African countries in six languages,” the report says.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, in June 2025, the translation of content into Portuguese for the Mozambique and Angola markets began, and by the end of the year, it is planned to launch broadcasting in Amharic for audiences in Ethiopia.

It is noted that RT TV channel has demonstrated significant growth in its presence: in two years, the number of African partner TV channels has doubled to 60. At the same time, the channel is implementing educational programs for local journalists—last year, more than a thousand media professionals were trained according to Russian standards. In June 2025, face-to-face training began in Addis Abeba.

In addition, the Kremlin plans to scale such programs to other countries. To this end, Russia has already begun selecting personnel to head “correspondent offices” and coordinate the work of educational centers.

The TASS agency is also expanding its presence on the continent. It plans to open correspondent offices in Ethiopia, Senegal, Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other African countries. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the selection of personnel for these structures is being carried out under the control of the Russian Federal Security Service.

Read also: Loss of military bases in Syria to have serious implications for Russia's influence in Africa - ISW

“Russian propaganda is a global threat that works toward a single goal: the territorial, resource, and cultural expansion of the aggressor,” concluded Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

As reported, specialists from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense intercepted an order from one of the field commanders of the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet of the aggressor state regarding the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

While citing and using any materials on the Internet, links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory. In addition, citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet. Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No. 270/96-VR of July 3, 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No. 2849-Х of March 31, 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice.

Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421.

© 2015-2025 Ukrinform. All rights reserved.

Extended searchHide extended search
By period:
-