Kremlin’s 10 Disinformation Narratives on COVID-19 in Georgia
In Georgia and the Western countries, coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is accompanied by a powerful campaign of information manipulation in social media, for disinformation and discrediting purposes. As the international crisis unfolds, intensified Russian disinformation campaign in Georgia, attempts to distort reality, demonstrate the need to distancing Georgia from the West, covertly attacks democratic institutions, tries to divide the society and amplify artificially inspired topics in social media, through the use of inauthentic interaction.
Notably, as people are forced to refrain from face-to-face communication, they increasingly rely on the use of social media, which creates the risk of internal or external disinformation invading the information space of more people.
The coordinated dicrediting and disinformation campaign that has intensified amid the coronavirus pandemic suggests that for the 2020 parliamentary elections, malicious actors both inside and outside the country have been weaving powerful information networks. Active use of these networks was possibly planned for election purposes but at this stage, COVID-19 crisis turned out to be a convenient moment for using these networks.
Means of Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior of the Russian Information Campaign and Its Main Messages
In parallel with domestic disinformation campaigns, manipulative tricks of News-Front Georgia, a Kremlist agency carrying out the Russian information operation, has become strikingly active. News-Front Georgia is intertwined with another agency, Geworld.Ge; they publish articles that involve identical messages and share each other’s materials on their respective Facebook pages.
Russian disinformation campaign amid COVID-19 pandemic covertly undermines trust toward preventive measures taken by the State against the virus, including declaration of the state of emergency. Some articles that are spread in Facebook groups with thousands of members encourage Orthodox worshippers to go to church. Everyone who obeys the policy of physical distancing is rebuked and called a traitor of Christianity.
Some of the agency’s articles have ambiguous titles – for instance, one ambiguous title attempts to discredit the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC). Notably, with its disinformation articles News-Front also attacks Deputy head of the NCDC and Director of Lugar Lab (Lugar Research Center), Paata Imnadze by publishing an article attacking the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) but not explicitly specifying that the article is about CDC and not NCDC in Georgia.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: |
Text of the post shared by News-Front Georgia: |
Kremlin’s information propaganda in Georgia amid coronavirus pandemic revolves around several messages and the two agencies’ articles serve the purpose of disseminating these messages.
Narrative #1 – Georgia is an unsuccessful country but even it manages to handle coronavirus, while developed Europe is powerless. Georgia should connect its future to Russia instead of the West. – This particular pro-Russian message serves the purpose of portraying Georgia as an underdeveloped, failed state, against the background of which Europe looks even more powerless and consumed by crisis. This message covertly suggests that Georgia will not gain anything by approximation with Europe; instead, approximation with Russia is the only way Georgia can survive.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: The fact that Georgia does better than France indicates that EU is in a bad shape Today France moves from phase 2 to phase 3 of the epidemic. |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: In the worst-case scenario, Georgia cannot count on Europe and America (they have turned their backs on each other). Georgia’s vital artery will go through Russia. Now, let’s talk about whether Russia is ready to carry Georgia on its back amid the universal hysteria? Now the government has to decide whether to call Russia names and refuse a dialogue with it or come to its senses and offer Russia to broaden commercial relationships and cooperation. Title of the shared News-Front article: Georgia’s vital artery goes through Russia |
Narrative #2 – Isolation and social distancing policy does not work to combat the virus and has a reverse effect. An example of the UK is provided as if Great Britain abandoned the policy of social distancing, which is not true.
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There is a small group of countries led by Britain, whose governments have a different opinion. If coronavirus is inevitable, we should follow simple and clear recommendations on how to approach it without panic and with hope for the future. In order to protect population from psychological traumas and fear... 60% of the population should contract coronavirus (as in the case of measles during childhood). As a result, British people will develop a collective immunity and it will avoid any subsequent waves of the disease, which will eventually become a seasonal infection. Therefore, closing borders, stores, restaurants and locking people up at home (not including risk groups) is senseless and it shouldn’t be done. For full information visit the link below. |
Lukashenko: “we’ve undergone many psychoses together with you and we know where it will take us. I am absolutely certain that current developments are the same exact psychosis, which benefits some and harms others. Civilized world has gone mad; politicians have started abusing the situation for the advancement of their interests. Announcement of pandemic by the World Health Organization has no significance for Belarus because the country used to fight infection effectively and it will do the same now...” The president also explained why academic process would continue in educational institutions of Belarus, unlike all European countries. See the link below. |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia:
Narrative #3 – It is China and not the Lugar Lab, EU or U.S. that helps Georgia in the fight against coronavirus. The role of Lugar Research Center in this process is exaggerated. In addition, the message is that Georgia has been abandoned by its Western friends.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: So far, Georgia is not benefitting from EU or from the Association Agreement in this process. The U.S. is busy with its egotistical actions. In the meantime, China gave us a helping hand and the precious gift will arrive tomorrow. See the full text below. Title of the shared News-Front article: China’s precious gift to Georgia – rapid tests will be used in a targeted manner |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: It’s not “Lugar” that’s helping us, China is! Sorosian-American propagandists, as well as some ignorant and pompous politicians sized this chance and began to propagate the U.S. and the so-called Lugar Research Lab that they left, saying that without this lab Georgia would have been helpless in today’s situation, in the fight against coronavirus... See the details below. Title of the shared News-Front article: It’s not Lugar that’s helping us, China is! |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Georgia’s “friends” have been lost after the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated. Georgia’s economy will face significant problems in the future. Georgian journalist Beka Kvitsiani addresses Congressmen Kinzinger, “a great friend”. Title of the shared News-Front article: Georgia’s “friend”, why aren’t you saying anything during the time of need? – Letter to Kinzinger. |
Narrative #4 - COVID-19 virus did not emerge naturally in China but instead, the U.S. disseminated it artificially, through its military servicemen and the Lugar Lab.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Chinese Foreign Minister Zhao Lijian: “COVID-19 was not created in Chinese province Wuhan, it was created much earlier, in the United States and spread from there. Former U.S. intelligence officer, Larry Romanov: “We cannot absolutely say that COVID-19 spread from the America’s Fort Detrick, however because there were 1059 cases of pathogen leakage from secret labs in the U.S. from 2005 to 2012, (hello, Lugar Lab!! – News-Front, see several examples here), this version becomes more and more real”. Photo: Fort Detrick bio lab, where a different type of coronavirus – COVID-19 was created... Title of the shared News-Front article: Coronavirus did not originate in China! |
Narrative #5 – By declaring the state of emergency, the authorities are fighting against the Orthodox Church, not the virus.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: The government is “taking care” of our health – Gakharia, as the last of the liberals, is prohibiting gathering in a church. Title of the shared News-Front article: The prohibition concerns the church as well – this is how the government is “taking care” of our health. |
Narrative #6 – Who does not go to the church and does not receive the Eucharist through a shared spoon are not Christians.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: After liberal-fascists bolstered their attack on the church, on sacred mysteries and essentially, demanded prohibition of church service and the Eucharist (and unfortunately, were able to partially convince the government), the national protest against the liberal-fascist blasphemy is rising. However, there are some people who pretend to be believers, they’re somewhere in between. Political expert Shota Apkhaidze addresses them through social media. Title of the shared News-Front article: Shota Apkhaidze: “you either believe or not, you cannot be in between! When I left prison, I was healthy!” |
Narrative #7 – Liberals are fighting to change the Eucharist practice in the Orthodox Church.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Liberal-fascists are constantly demanding to close down churches or, better yet, to change the Eucharist practice and treat all the sanctities with contempt. But how about people, who have flooded grocery stores and supermarkets and have been terrified by media? Are those who are terrified and have lost belief more protected in grocery stores that in the house of God? To read full article visit the link below. Title of the shared News-Front article: Is a supermarket safe and a church dangerous? |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Father Giorgi (Razmadze): closed and empty churches – this is the dream of the liberal elite controlled by the West. First and foremost, I’d like to highlight that the authorities that were actively urging the people to refrain from going to church waited for the Synod meeting first and then announced the state of emergency. They probably expected that the Church would stop the service but because it didn’t happen, they resorted to strict measures. Title of the shared News-Front article: Father Giorgi (Razmadze): closed and empty churches – this is the dream of the liberal elite controlled by the West. |
Narrative #8 – Russia and China are helping Italy, while EU has turned its back on it. Russian military vehicles are driving in Italy, a NATO member. Italians have replaced EU flag with a Russian one.
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| Text of the post by News-Front Georgia:
Italy turned to Russia for help and the President of Russia is willing to help. A political casus has been created – Russia, a country sanctioned by the EU, is helping EU member state, which is not receiving any help from the EU. See detailed information... |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia:
From Russia with love! Russians are getting ready to help Italy. 21 years after NATO began to viciously bomb Yugoslavia, Russia announced that it would begin to help NATO member state, Italy. Russian military planes IL-76 are getting ready to fly to Italy. Those who don’t believe it, see the video footage below. |
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Trolling is when European countries have found themselves in the gravest situation – not only from epidemiological but also from political perspective, when Italy and Spain have been abandoned in the most difficult times, without any help. These two countries receive help from Chinese and Russian specialists; the Chinese and the Russians are providing humanitarian supplies, while Germany has refused to export its medical protective gear and the U.S. imposed a travel ban on EU. Against this background, what is the value of joint military trainings? How long will the Western leaders lie to their people and themselves? Coronavirus has put NATO in its place. For full information visit the link below. Title of the shared News-Front article: Russia has “trolled” NATO – what will be the fate of NATO’s “large-scale” trainings? |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: The video provided below became very popular in Italy tortured by coronavirus, as soon as it was published. The video already has over 30,000 shares in social media. “Grazie Putin, Grazie Russie” – such a strong message is sent by ordinary Italians for the entire world to see. The reason is clear for those who read News-Front, while Soros TVs and news agencies are hiding this fact from Georgian people – Russia is helping Italy with humanitarian and medical supplies (14 planes have already been sent from Russia to Italy) and military doctors, while all EU member states have turned their backs on Italy. See the video below. Title of the shared News-Front article: “Thank you, Russia! Thank you, Putin” – Italians replace EU flag with a Russian one. |
Narrative #9 – The world is secretly ruled by 13 families and the spread of coronavirus is connected to them.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: At the top of the “new world order” pyramid is an elite organization known as the council of 13 families, who has the greatest influence on the processes that are taking place in the world. These are 13 most influential families in the world. According to their representatives, they have the right to rule the world because they are blue bloods. These are the following families: Title of the shared News-Front article: Families that are secretly ruling the world |
Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Corona has become a weapon in a brilliantly planned operation – Lali Moroshkina. This is exactly why the rule by Oligarchs (Rothschild, Walton, Buffett, Soros, Trump) and business-brain is a dangerous and vicious player... See the details below. Title of the shared News-Front article: Corona has become a weapon in a brilliantly planned operation – Lali Moroshkina |
Narrative #10 – Russia is invincible in the fight against coronavirus. Cure for coronavirus was invented in the Soviet Union, while Russian scientists have deciphered its genome.
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Text of the post by News-Front Georgia: Great success of Russian specialists in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Russian specialists have achieved first big success in the fight against coronavirus – they have deciphered its genome. See the details below. Title of the shared News-Front article: Success of Russian specialists in the fight against the novel coronavirus. |
By grossly violating Facebook’s Community Standards, Kremlist news agents in Georgia are trying to take advantage of public anxiety and undermine Georgia’s foreign political direction, plant suspicions and conspiracy theories about origin of coronavirus and about the State’s strategy for fighting against it.
Observation of their activities on social media make apparent that these news agencies target people according to their interests and political taste and selectively deliver messages, which are aimed at deepening political polarization, public confrontation and stirring up antagonism towards the Western countries.