russian spy network is active in Europe – defense intelligence
The russian spy network continues to operate actively in European countries, the representative of Ukraine's defense intelligence Andrii Cherniak told the Greek publication Iefimerida in an interview.
"One of russia's main goals is to influence certain authoritative people in European countries, as well as public opinion. Therefore, the russians invest a lot in working with the mass media," the military intelligence officer noted. "This and their open propaganda mouthpieces such as 'russia today' and other more hidden methods of influence."
Cherniak added that there were cases when russian-recruited foreign media journalists went to work with the sole purpose of talking to their colleagues to influence their opinion in favor of russia.
According to the representative, the russian spy network has recently focused on neutralizing the supply routes of Western weapons provided to Ukraine by its partners.
"russia is interested in all of Europe as a 'zone of influence.' If it conquers Ukraine, it will not stop there. It will go further. And we know that putin had such plans before the invasion of Ukraine. Perhaps they have not changed even now," Cherniak emphasized.
Almost 40 members of the European Parliament called for sanctions to stop the broadcasting of russian TV and radio stations on November 18, as they spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine. Poland and the Baltic states have been at the forefront of pushing sanctions against russian media in the next sanctions package.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated this at a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, last week that EU will sanction "putin's propagandists" in the 10th package as they are "poisoning the public space in russia and abroad."
