Journalist who infiltrated Putin’s troll factory warns of Russian propaganda in the upcoming Swedish election - ‘We were forced to create fake facts and news’

Authored by nordic.businessinsider.com and submitted by urgukvn

The freelance journalist Lyudmila Savchuk worked for two months in the troll factory Internet Research – as part of a secret investigation.

"We were forced to create fake facts and news. Our task was to spread Putin's message and stoke hatred towards Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians," she says in an interview with BI Nordic.

Now Savchuk warns of Russian disinformation in the September’s election in Sweden.

"I can see that Putin's propaganda is having an effect on people in Sweden."

The big, grey building north of St Petersburg does not look like much to the naked eye. But behind its nondescript facade hides one of Vladimir Putin’s infamous troll factories.

For two months, this was the workplace of Lyudmila Savchuk – mother-of-two, environment activist, and freelance journalist.

But Savchuk wasn’t one of the trolls – far from it. Instead, her work at Internet Research was part of an undercover investigation for the newspaper My District.

”This was my chance to see the groundwork of the Kremlin propaganda machine with my own eyes – to see how the trolls actually work. I also wanted to find out how I and my activist friends can tackle this machine.”

”Our task was to spread Putin’s message”

"Already on my first day, I learned that the trolls were forbidden to write about real issues in Russia. Our task was to spread Putin's message and stoke hatred towards Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians through fake identities and profiles. We were forced to create fake facts and news."

The IT-age propaganda machine’s aim is to portray Russia as a strong and reliant force standing tall while the West is on the brink of collapse, Savchuk explains.

”The trolls are expected to communicate a rosy picture of Russia while its enemies are heading for chaos and war. For example, I was part of a team working with the character ‘Cantadora’ – a woman with magical talents who prophesies about the destruction of the USA and Ukraine."

The work-day routine at Internet Research Savchuk describes lives up to the picture of an Orwellian fake news factory.

"When arriving for work, you were instantly informed about how many comments, posts, and pictures that had to be produced this day. There were CCTV cameras everywhere.”

To do undercover work in this environment proved both dangerous and scary.

”It is very dangerous to oppose Putin’s regime. I knew I was there to investigate and that every minute was important. At the same time, it was very scary to collect all the information and documents, especially with the cameras everywhere.”

St Petersburg is the home of Kremlin-linked troll factory Internet Research. Pixabay

”I knew they could kill me – but I continued my research”

Now Savchuk has published some of the material she came over – resulting in a wave of threats and insults from trolls and traditional media alike. Despite this, she continues her relentless investigations.

”I knew they could kill me, but I kept on going. The worst thing is probably that I have been depicted as a troll in some international media outlets – even though I have worked for them as an expert on these issues. That’s why I often avoid interviews these days.”

Today Savchuk is an expert and frequent speaker on Russian disinformation. She is behind a research project on the political coverage in Russian media and is writing a book on the role of Russian propaganda in American elections.

”Putin’s propaganda is having an effect on people in Sweden”

Savchuk’s message to Sweden is clear – look out for Moscow influence in September’s election.

”Sweden must monitor all efforts to influence the election. I can see that Putin’s propaganda is having an effect on people in Sweden. There are people who really, really love Putin – especially in the community of Russian-speaking Swedes.”

Savchuk has paid a heavy personal price for her tireless investigations into the Kremlin propaganda machine.

"I am scared every day. I am scared when I enter my apartment and when I walk on the streets. It is very painful when the media write lies about me. But most of all I am scared that I won't be able to change my country for the better."

What are your plans for the future?

”I know I can be beaten or killed because of what I do. I get abuse from trolls and the media and my family is not well off. But I would only contemplate moving to another country if my expertise could be used there and I can help fight propaganda.

”My future is precarious. I am very worried and don’t know what to expect. I don’t feel particularly safe or happy.”

Krangbot on April 8th, 2018 at 18:59 UTC »

Why do they keep calling it a troll factory? It sounds like a serious state sponsored, state controlled professional operation meant purely to destabilize other countries. It’s a big deal and calling it simply a “troll factory” sort of makes it sound like they’re just messing around. They are causing people to go for each other’s throats by playing both sides and watching as countries becoming more divided.

StevenTheBirdSeagull on April 8th, 2018 at 16:56 UTC »

“Every country has its own mafia. Putin’s Russia is the first where the mafia has its own country.” --Garry Kasparov

wakka-wakka-wakka on April 8th, 2018 at 13:15 UTC »

After Putin is gone, I swear Russia may very well consume itself with the beast it has created over these last few years