How Russia disguises propaganda as educational initiatives in Africa
Russia continues to use educational programs as a tool of soft power and propaganda in Africa. The state-controlled channel RT is running large-scale training programs for journalists and bloggers, using them as a vehicle for Kremlin disinformation. A BBC correspondent attended one of these courses and revealed what RT is actually teaching.
▫️ Course materials blend practical journalism lessons with blatant Kremlin propaganda. RT’s own fabricated reports are presented as examples of professional journalism.
▫️ A seminar on “exposing fakes” was particularly striking—the instructor simply echoed Russian propaganda, including the false claim that the 2022 Bucha massacre commited by Russians was a “fake.”
Using the format of journalism courses allows disguising propaganda as an educational initiative. Russia seeks to form a network of loyal journalists in Africa who will promote pro-Russian narratives and justify the Kremlin’s actions.
