Kremlin-Funded International Reporters Promotes Russian Propaganda on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

For over a year, the Kremlin-funded website International Reporters has disguised itself as a legitimate news outlet, spreading Russian disinformation. According toa report Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the platform promotes pro-Russia narratives that support the invasion of Ukraine and align with Kremlin foreign policy.

In July 2023, Russian leader Vladimir Putin publicly expressed support for International Reporters and its co-founder, Christelle Néant, a French blogger who acquired Russian citizenship through naturalization. She remains the platform’s primary contributor, producing video reports from occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, including Avdiivka and Mariupol.

It currently features content produced by a network of propagandists from eight countries, presented as journalistic reporting in French, Russian, and English. These individuals amplify pro-Kremlin narratives that glorify Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and its broader foreign policy.

Andrea Lucidi, an Italian contributor, previously appeared in a video displaying the Russian “Z” symbol in support of the invasion and later sought and obtained “asylum” in Russia.

Another key figure, Vanessa Beeley, a British national, has previously worked with the Russian state media outlet RT and has supported former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Vladimir Putin.

Financial records indicate that International Reporters received over 27,000 euros (approximately $ 27,888) in funding from ANO Dialog Regions during the first nine months of 2024.

This organization, controlled and financed by the Kremlin, was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for its role in spreading Russian disinformation, particularly during US elections. In addition to funding from ANO Dialog Regions, International Reporters has also received direct financial support from Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development.

Jeanne Cavelier, head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, has warned of the impact such platforms have on the information space, particularly in shaping global perceptions of the war against Ukraine.

“Behind its misleading name, International Reporters is actually a new website serving Moscow’s interests. Funded by the Kremlin’s propaganda networks, it uses foreign propagandists — often based in Russia — to reach an international audience. Their so-called 'reports' disseminate Russian narratives justifying the invasion of Ukraine and promoting the Kremlin’s policies on a global scale. RSF condemns this propaganda tool, which pollutes the information space,” she stated.

Despite its relatively modest audience, with just over 56,000 subscribers on Telegram, around 12,000 on VKontakte, and nearly 20,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), the platform’s influence stems from the prominence of its contributors within Russia’s broader disinformation network.

On November 21, the “Media Literacy is Freedom” campaign, launched by Detector Media and Spinus Agency in collaboration with UNESCO, aims to strengthen media and information literacy in Ukraine, with a focus on critical thinking and disinformation detection, especially during wartime.