The New York Times: Russia waging war with money and ideology

“The war in Ukraine, pitting Russia against the West, is being waged with more than just tanks, artillery and troops,” write Peter Baker and Stephen Erlanger in The New York Times: Moscow is increasingly using other types of weapons, according to U.S. and European officials. weapons" - money, ideology and disinformation.

According to the authors, the Obama administration and its European allies have a hard time fighting in their own countries Moscow’s attempts to use its economic power, finance European parties and movements, and spread an alternative view of the Ukrainian conflict.

“The Kremlin’s goal appears to be to sow discord, destabilize the EU and perhaps fragment the consensus against Russian aggression that has until now been relatively united, if sometimes fragile,” the article says.

True, American officials and European diplomats are now confident that on June 25-26 the EU will extend sanctions against Russia. “But, contrary to the wishes of some American officials, there is no desire to add new sanctions,” the authors note.

Russia's attempts to influence the West take different forms, continue Baker and Erlanger. Moscow is convincing the countries of Southeastern Europe to support the new gas pipeline project, as well as posting publications paid by its government on newspaper tabs and on sites in 26 countries. There is an idea to expand the RT channel so that it also broadcasts in French and German.

“American and European officials have accused Moscow of funding green movements in Europe to encourage protests against fracking. This move is intended to protect the Russian gas industry. And a mysterious “troll farm” in St. Petersburg is spreading false stories via Twitter about chemical releases or Ebola outbreaks in the West,” the article says.

According to the authors, Russia has recently managed to gain support in Greece, Hungary, the Czech Republic and even Italy and France. Not only is she allying with Moscow's traditional allies on the left, but she is also finding common ground with the far right, which sympathizes with Putin's attacks on the "moral decay" of the West.

Thus, in France, the National Front “confirmed that it took out $11,7 million on credit from the First Czech-Russian Bank (Moscow), which is associated with the Kremlin,” the article says. True, the head of the party, Marine Le Pen, denied media claims that this was only the first tranche of a 50 million loan.

After the leader of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, published photos of himself at a conference in Moscow, the party was accused of being dependent on the Kremlin. Strache, however, said: “We are committed to our neutrality and do not receive financial donations or loans” from Russia.

Similar accusations were made in Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Baltic countries, the article says.

“It is clear that the Kremlin is fully interested in dividing Europe in any way possible,” Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden, wrote in an email interview. “And he actively tries to play on all the differences that he sees.”

“President Putin views NATO as a threat and will seek opportunities to discredit and ultimately undermine the alliance,” General Dempsey, chairman of the US Army's Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in an email forwarded by his spokesman. “Putin’s ultimate goal is to split NATO.”

However, American expert Fiona Hill believes: with the exception of Le Pen's party, allegations that Russia finances European parties are based more on theoretical assumptions than on facts. According to Hill, the Russians “want to convince everyone that everyone is corrupt, that everyone can be influenced.”