Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Initiative of Apology – New tool for Russian propaganda: the resurgence of Pro-Kremlin accounts on X Platform
On September 14, during the pre-election campaign in Gori, the founder and honorary chairperson of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, suggested apologizing to the Ossetians for the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Ivanishvili noted that the "August War" was unleashed by the former government of Georgia "on orders from outside [of the country]".
"Immediately after the October 26 elections, when the instigators of the war are tried, when all the criminals receive the strictest legal reprecusions for the destruction of the Georgian-Ossetian brotherhood and coexistence, we will definitely find the strength in ourselves to apologize for the fact that, acting upon orders [from abroad], the treacherous "National Movement" put our Ossetian sisters and brothers in flames." - Bidzina Ivanishvili
Ivanishvili's statement was followed by a strong wave of criticism from Georgian citizens. It also faced backlash on social networks from the family members of Georgia's national heroes who were killed in the August War. Afterwards, other representatives of Georgian government and the propagandistic media have tried to re-interpret Ivanishvili's statement and to water it down.
The initiative of the founder of the Georgian Dream party received a positive response from a number of Russian/pro-Russian accounts on social networks. On September 14-15, an active information campaign commenced on X (formerly known as Twitter), with pro-Kremlin propaganda accounts responding to the statement in an organized, positive way. The accounts that have been studied serve to spread pro-Russian messages to Russian and international audiences. Their posts serve to justify the Russian aggression in Ukraine and to blame the West in the ongoing war. Some of these accounts post identical texts, which are then shared by suspicious accounts. ISFED offers an overview of the activity of Kremlin propaganda accounts, which have used Bidzina Ivanishvili's speech on social network X for Russian propaganda purposes. The `advanced search`[1] function of the platform was used for data collection.
1. Ramp up of pro-Kremlin accounts on X
During September 14-15, on the X platform, among the shares of Bidzina Ivanishvili's speech in Gori, there were many posts published in Russian. Most of the users shared the video in a positive context with the identical or similar message. These accounts praised the speech of the honorary chairperson of Georgian Dream and used the excerpts of the speech to advance the typical Russian propaganda on their profiles. Some of the accounts studied by ISFED share similar content with each other daily on Platform X.
According to the organization’s observations, some of the accounts active on Platform X that positively responded to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s speech are used for Russian propaganda. These accounts actively share Kremlin messages, justify Russia’s imperialist intentions, emphasize its political dominance, criticize the West, portray Ukrainians as Nazis etc.
It is impossible to determine the authenticity of some accounts, as their profiles do not display real names or photos. Some of the studied accounts are notably popular, posting news in both Russian and English. Identical accounts can be found among those sharing their posts. This activity appears to be organized and aims to increase the reach of these posts. Bidzina Ivanishvili’s speech was also shared by these accounts, featuring videos with Russian subtitles. Similar videos with subtitles can be found on Russian YouTube, Rutube, and VKontakte channels.
Figure 1. StellaMoscow: "We, Crimeans, are happy to join with our motherland Russia." Post: "Chairman of the ruling party "Georgian Dream" Ivanishvili declares that Georgia should apologize to the Ossetians for the war of 2008. Today we know very well that the war of August 2008 was not the will of either the Georgian or the Ossetian people."
Figure 2. "Chairman of the ruling party "Georgian Dream" Ivanishvili states that Georgia should apologize to the Ossetians for the war of 2008. Today we are well aware that the war of August 2008 was not the wish of either the Georgian or the Ossetian people."
The high reach of their posts indicates the potential impact of their propaganda. For example, the post of Bidzina Ivanishvili's speech from the account @MyLordBebo has 511 shares and 496.8 thousand views[2]. This account is infamously pro-Kremlin. It has been repeatedly exposed for spreading false information in favor of Russia regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine[3].
Figure 3. „NUREMBERG TRIALS FOR NATO PROXY!
A huge geopolitical event is currently happening. Georgia wants to reunite with Ossetia, which is protected by Russia, and the current Georgian government has decided, correctly, to pursue diplomacy and friendship instead of confrontation. They are also removing US proxy henchmen who dragged Georgia into war. The Georgian government announced Nuremberg trials for the politicians who started the war against Ossetia in 2008. The Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Ivanishvili, said this will initiate a “sincere reconciliation” with the Ossetian people.????️ “I promise that the Georgian Nuremberg Trials will take place very soon, which will definitely become a prerequisite for our reconciliation. Immediately after the elections on October 26, when the instigators of the war will be brought to justice, and all those responsible for the destruction of the Georgian-Ossetian brotherhood and coexistence will receive the strictest legal response, we will definitely find the strength to apologize for the war.” This will be a significant geopolitical shift, as a former NATO proxy and color revolution country rids itself of foreign influence and will be able to return its territories without confrontation. You can imagine that the next election in Georgia will be a storm of foreign influence and protests”!
Some of the dubious accounts posted identical content without including a video. Some of those shared news from Kremlin agencies RT and Sputnik. While sharing the news, accounts on Platform X praised Georgians for Bidzina Ivanishvili’s initiative. It must be noted that Bidzina Ivanishvili’s speech was covered by the above-mentioned Russian government agencies, along with RIA Novosti, with all of them describing the conflict identically: “Georgia attacked South Ossetia in 2008, after which Russia had to protect its citizens.” These Kremlin publications have faced US sanctions for attempts to interfere in US elections and for conducting covert influence operations worldwide. According to a statement from the US State Department, RT is a cyber capability entity that goes beyond the status of a media outlet and operates abroad to destabilize countries. The investigation also revealed that the agency attempted to interfere in the 2024 elections in Moldova.
Among the shares of pro-Kremlin accounts on Platform X, there was the statement made later at the briefing by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, in which he also blamed Mikheil Saakashvili for `starting the war`. Accounts hailed the speeches of Georgian Dream leaders and noted that this "truth" was always clear to the Russians.
Figure 4. "Georgia intends to apologize to Ossetians for its 2008 aggression, which was initiated by Saakashvili. That would be an incredibly powerful and proper move. Such an act deserves the utmost respect.
Figure 5. "Until now, the Georgian government was unable to tell the truth about the fact that the 2008 war in South Ossetia was started by the ex-president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia said at the briefing. Russia talked about this in 2008, but everyone claimed the opposite.
The truth will reveal itself sooner or later!
2. The context and main messages of the positive sharing of Bidzina Ivanishvili's speech on the studied accounts:
Message 1: Emphasizing Russia's innocence in the conflicts in Georgia and Ukraine
A large part of the studied accounts used the speech of the honorary chairperson of the ruling party to justify Russia's transgressions. The accounts shared the speech in the context of Ukraine and noted that in the case of Ukraine, Russia's innocence would also be "made clear".
Figure 6. "Did they use Georgia in the same way in 2008? After 13 years, Russia's military actions have officially been recognized as legitimate. The same will happen in relation to Ukraine, sooner or later. They will replace the politicians in the leadership of the NATO countries and say that it was a mistake of the previous politicians..."
Figure 7. "Georgian authorities want to apologize for the war between Ossetians and Georgians in 2008, which Saakashvili started. Only Ukrainians live in their parallel reality and believe that Russia is to blame for everything."
Message 2: Praise of Georgia for admitting culpability
Pro-Kremlin accounts praised Georgians for "confessing their culpability" in the August 2008 war and hailed "bringing the truth to light" after so many years. Part of the pro-Kremlin accounts praised Bidzina Ivanishvili's "dignified" behavior and expressed respect for him. Several accounts published similar and/or identical posts.
Figure 8. "Georgia intends to apologize to the Ossetians for the aggression unleashed by Saakashvili in 2008." "It's a strong move! How adequate Ivanishvili is!" "This is what a state that really wants peace looks like. We welcome <>"
Figure 9. "Georgian authorities will find the strength to apologize for the 2008 war between Ossetians and Georgians, which Saakashvili and the United National Movement started on the orders from outside!" Great job admiting it! As for Ukrainians, they will not be forgiven for the genocide of Russians in Donbass! "
Figure 10. "...it's good that after so many years the truth has finally come out. I hope South Ossetians and Georgians will find their path to peace in any form possible."
Message 3: "Georgia as a puppet of the West" - praising the Georgian Dream party for escaping "Western influences"
Messages shared by pro-Kremlin accounts emphasized the role of Western pressure in international conflicts. The war of August 2008 was demonstrated to be ordered by the West, and to prove this, the pro-Kremlin accounts used the words of Bidzina Ivanishvili. The pro-Kremlin propagandists presented Georgia as a proxy of the West and encouraged the "Georgian Dream" party to get out of this trap.
Figure 11. "If Georgia will be able to trial the warmonger who “proxified” the country, return Ossetia and will peacefully coexist with Russia … the world will change. This will serve as a benchmark for further relations of other countries, also with China. Apparently, peace is an option”
Figure 12. "Today we are well aware that the war of August 2008 was not the wish of either Georgians or Ossetians"
Message 4: Presenting the West as an aggressor, who `dragged Georgia into the war`
Some of the accounts claimed the US and NATO culpability for both the August war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Suspicious X accounts emphasized that the West does not want peace, drew parallels with Ukraine, and claimed that sooner or later Ukraine would recognize NATO's culpability.
Figure 13: We know the USA pushed that just like Ukraine. Georgia to apolitize for starting 2008 war – media. A former prime minister has described the conflic as a deliberate provocation aimed at dividing Georgians and Ossetians.
3. Pro-Kremlin activity of the studied accounts on X
Accounts that were positive about the Georgian Dream founder's initiative to apologize for the August war are actively spreading Kremlin propaganda on X. They take pro-Putinist and strongly anti-Western positions. Some of these accounts try to portray Russias actions as legitimate from the time of Russia's annexation of Crimea, while some of them were created in 2022 and have since been used to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, all studied pro-Kremlin accounts spread messages of `Western culpability` regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine and refer to the EU, USA and NATO as main enemies. Against the background of the recent developments in Ukraine, the posts mention the threat of Russia's confrontation with NATO and point out to `Russia's readiness`.
Figure 14. The European Parliament passed a resolution that would allow Ukraine to strike in the heart of Russia. 425 deputies supported, 131 voted against it, while 63 abstained. Hopefully, everyone understands that the European Union is starting the third world war. Hopefully, Putin will not waver when the time comes.
These accounts’ posts about Georgia include the ones that indicate country’s confrontation with the West. At different times, the anti-Western speeches of the leaders of the ruling team were shared in a positive context.
Figure 15. `Mayor of Tbilisi, former football player Kakha Kaladze on US pressure on Georgia. `Georgia is not someone’s vassal, Georgia is not a country that someone will use in their own interests, destroy the world and repeath the fate of Ukraine. We will protect this country’
Figure 16: EU suspends Georgia’s accession process over LGBT ban law. The European Union recalls that Georgia’s accession process in effectively suspended and calls on the authorities to return to the path of integration, the EU statement emphasized“
Picture 17. "A Russian citizen in Batumi explains to Georgian journalists that Georgia attacked Sukhum [Using Russian version of the city Sokhumi] with tanks, and Russia helped Abkhazia!" Truth and mistakes must be acknowledged and then everything will be fine!”
Figure 18. "Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze issues a statement on the prevention of Maidan and Ukrainization in Georgia."
It should be noted that on August 8, 2024, the same message about "Russia defending South Ossetia and destroying the Nazis of Saakashvili" was shared on the same pro-Kremlin accounts. A similar post was also published on the official account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
Figure 19: „On August 8 2008, the Saakashvili regime carried out its trecherous attack against South Ossetia. Russia stopped this criminal invervention and ensured security for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognising their independence“
Figure 20. "16 [one of the screens says 15] years ago, Russia protected South Ossetia from the aggression of the Georgian government"
Conclusion
Accounts involved in information operations, which has been used to try to justify Russia's aggression on X since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, have also campaigned in support of Bidzina Ivanishivli's initiative to apologize for the "August War". The statement made by the honorary chairperson of Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia in Gori has been used by the Kremlin and pro-Kremlin actors to distort the historical truth regarding the 2008 war and to change perceptions about Russia's culpability.
Such propaganda operations constitute a form of influential political manipulations, where internal statements made by state officials are used to fuel division and undermine the democratic order. The mobilization of Kremlin agencies and accounts once again underlines the danger of Russia's information interference during the upcoming Georgian parliamentary elections. While Georgian authorities should be combating Russian information operations in the country, unfortunately, their messages and narratives are fueling the naratives of Russian propagandists who serve to strengthen Russia, destabilize the region, and distance Georgia from its Western alliances.
The publication was made possible with the support of the Federal Government of Germany’s zivik Funding Programme of the ifa Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen. Its content is the sole responsibility of ISFED and might not reflect the views of the donor.
[1] Due to Platform's recent API access restrictions, account activity was manually reviewed.
[2] Data by 30 September
[3] The Digital Forensic Research Lab,”After Prigozhin, Russia clamps down online”, Atlantic Council, February 29 2024 https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/after-prigozhin-russia-clamps-down-online/;
Michael Manners, “Pro-Kremlin X Users Spread Misinformation About Ukraine Misuse of Western Aid”, Voice of America, 26 September 2023