“Peace Prize” from an aggressor state — a russian propaganda project
russia has announced the opening of applications for the so-called Lev Tolstoy International Peace Prize for 2026. This is yet another propaganda initiative targeting countries of the Global South.
▫️ The very existence of a russian “peace prize” is openly cynical. It was established in 2022—the year russia launched the largest war in Europe since World War II by carrying out a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
▫️ The prize is purely a propaganda instrument. Through it, the kremlin once again seeks to turn reality upside down by promoting an image of russia as a “peacekeeper.” Notably, previous recipients have included political actors from Asia and Africa—regions where moscow is actively competing for influence and loyalty.
▫️ It is also significant that rossotrudnichestvo is involved in promoting the prize. Through its network of so-called “russian houses,” this organization not only disseminates kremlin propaganda abroad but is also engaged in recruiting foreigners for the war against Ukraine.
A “peace prize” from an aggressor state is an element of hybrid warfare. While russia carries out terrorist attacks against Ukraine, destroys cities, and kills civilians, it simultaneously attempts to sell the world a myth of its supposed “peacefulness.”
