An investigation has revealed a Russian espionage scheme with the intention of causing fear and panic in the West.
Recently, The Insider, an independent news outlet in Russia, and Der Spiegel, a German publication, uncovered a series of emails from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). These emails reveal the existence of an intricate scheme known as “Project Kylo,” which was devised in 2022.
In May 2022, a group of SVR workers disclosed the plot during a confidential roundtable meeting in the Russian Senate, a few months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine had commenced. Leaked communications have exposed Moscow’s intention to disseminate false information about Ukraine in Western countries. The aim is to fuel existential fears and foster animosity towards refugees escaping the war.
According to the inquiry, it was discovered that Mikhail Kolesov, a 45-year-old SVR officer, had initially suggested a new strategy to incorporate a systematic, targeted, and proactive approach into the Kremlin’s propaganda tactics, with an offensive nature.
Instead of presenting the typical pro-Russian perspective on the war, the SVR agent suggested intensifying internal divisions among the ruling elites in Western countries, particularly the United States, which the secret services consider Russia’s primary adversary.
As part of this operation, SVR recruits acted as news outlets, established fictitious non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and shared manipulative content on YouTube and other social media sites. In addition, individuals were compensated to take part in demonstrations in the Western regions, with the intention of capturing and disseminating the resulting videos on the Internet.
Amidst a time when some politicians in the West were suggesting that war refugees from Ukraine were burdening public funds, members of the SVR attempted to take advantage of the situation by creating deceptive news websites and releasing articles with headlines that screamed that Ukraine was bankrupting Germany, and propping up Ukraine’s war effort is impacting the economy negatively for countries providing aid.
Several social media accounts posted images with sensationalistic links to stories that said the bread was a luxury for certain Weserm countries being bankrupted by Ukraine relief funds.
According to a leaked report, there is a proposed focus on instilling fear as a critical element in our cognitive campaign in Western countries. This is the very reason why individuals experience fear: uncertainty about the future, the inability to make long-term plans, and concerns about the well-being of their children and future generations.
Nurturing these stimuli leads to a person’s subconscious being consumed by intense fear and panic.
