Atlantic Council EURASIA CENTER
Atlantic Council EURASIA CENTER THE KREMLIN’S TROJAN HORSES3 Introduction by Alina Polyakova Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, Robert van der Noordaa, Øystein Bogen, and Henrik Sundbom THE KREMLIN’S TROJAN HORSES Russian Influence in Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway,3 and Sweden Introduction by Alina Polyakova Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, Robert van der Noordaa, Øystein Bogen, and Henrik Sundbom ISBN: 978-1-61977-567-1. Cover photo credits, from left to right: FrPMedia/Wikimedia, Per Pettersson/Wikimedia, Steen Brogaard, and Wouter Engler/Wikimedia. This report is written and published in accordance with the Atlantic Council Policy on Intellectual Independence. The authors are solely responsible for its analysis and recommendations. The Atlantic Council and its donors do not determine, nor do they necessarily endorse or advocate for, any of this report’s conclusions. December 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 5 Denmark: United in Opposition 10 The Netherlands: Kremlin Influence in the Wake of National Tragedy 17 Norway: Exploiting the Balancing Acts 23 Sweden: Fertile Soil for Influence OPS? 30 About the Authors THE KREMLIN’S TROJAN HORSES 3.0 INTRODUCTION Alina Polyakova Two years ago, the Kremlin attacked the United from articulating and operationalizing a coordinated States through a coordinated influence operation deterrence strategy against the full spectrum of targeting the 2016 presidential elections. It also political warfare. sought to interfere in subsequent elections across Europe. Heightened public attention to Russian It would be a mistake, however, to focus our influence operations, ongoing governmental and eforts solely on countering disinformation around civil society investigations, and increased scrutiny elections. Russia’s political warfare against the West of manipulation by social media companies of their doesn’t stop at the ballot box or with information platforms have revealed the inner workings of manipulation.
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