Why do Estonians deliberately play by the Putin playbook? Consider this headline recently posted by EKRE’s U.S. online website ‘
EestiEest’: “Russia stated that they have documents which confirm that the USA is taking its ‘illegals’ to bio-testing laboratories in Africa.”
The article continues to elucidate on its discovery : “The commander of the Russian nuclear, chemical, biological defence unit, Lieutenant-General Igor Kirilov said that this revelation helps Moscow to expose Washington’s illegal biological warfare operations. He also pointed out to the possibility of epidemics in the regions where these centres are located.”
Another ‘EestiEest’ headline: “Senator Josh Hawley: If Ukraine has any road to victory, I did not hear it today. But I heard that there’s no end to asking for money.” This was in reference to a meting with Wolodymyr Zelensky recently in the White House.
And yet another headline in ‘EestiEest’ very recently after the Hamas attack against Israel: “US warmonger Senator threatens Iran.” The accompanying article states: “Once again. The pro-war sectors of American politics seem to foment a conflict situation with U.S. involvement.”
These are clearly Putin’s enablers in the current hybrid warfare environment. One need not aggrandize Russia’s most ludicrous claims – that Ukraine’s president is a closet Nazi, or that Ukrainians are harvesting children’s organs. Russian propaganda does not necessarily intend to convince, but rather to sow doubt, by planting seeds of mistrust in the current White House while rather obviously favouring Mr. Trump, a rhetorical flavouring which EKRE’s on-line contributors supply in profusion.
The massive increase in news outlets with the accompanying social media was a godsend to Russian propagandists. Through thousands of untraceable online accounts, they used it profusely in the 2016 elections.
(Pikemalt saab lugeda Eesti Elu 20. oktoobri 2023 paber- või digilehest eestielu.ca)
