Russia
Dmitri Polikanov, deputy reformer of Russia's soft power age

Russia
Presidential administration orders staff to toe ideological line

The president's executive office, which was long considered a bastion of pragmatism, has been told to stay closer to the official ideological line. A memo to this effect is currently being circulated internally.

The Agencies' Gazette
Austria pessimistic over Ukraine, Russian soft power for Africa summit, Europol reaches out to Kyiv

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

AustriaAnalysts not optimistic about Ukraine's chances

RussiaRussian influence agency supports African journalists

UkraineAsset recovery agency steps in line with Europol

Russia
Financial intelligence remains last Russian bastion open to international cooperation

The discreet Russian financial intelligence service Rosfinmonitoring, which has been closely involved in international cooperation against the financing of terrorism, is an anomaly among Russian agencies, keeping the door open to cooperation on intelligence sharing with foreign partners.

Central Asia, Russia
Russia's soft power institutions tread carefully in Central Asia

Moscow is trying to maintain its influence in Central Asian countries through its soft power agencies with the aim of consolidating and strengthening its alliances in the region. But the 9 May celebrations revealed deep dissensions within some countries.

Russia
Alongside the Ukraine crisis, the Elysée and the Kremlin keep up talks on military memorials

As Emmanuel Macron was travelling to Moscow, the first steps were taken towards a military memorial project that would be a monument to the dead of the Battle of Borodino in Russia. Moscow views this as a highly symbolic opportunity to strengthen its ties with Paris.

Spotlight | China, Russia
Russian soft power ups ambitions in Central Asia for 2022

Moscow has grand plans for its networks of influence abroad over the coming year, starting with the need to maintain its declining dominance in Central Asia. But these ambitious goals could come up against the situation in Kazakhstan, where India, China and other powers are using their own approaches.

Russia
NIIRK spymasters scrutinise Baltic and Central Asian countries via state media

NIIRK, the small scientific research centre made up of ex-KGB agents is making assessment of "communication flows" a central priority. It is examining these in the three Baltic countries and five Central Asian states where Moscow is trying to push its narratives using soft power tools, such as the Rossotrudnichestvo and state media outlets.

France, Russia
Russian Geographical Society sets up in Paris under the aegis of soft power experts

For the inauguration of its new centre in Paris headed by academic Darya Loyola, the powerful Russian Geographical Society called in experts in Russian-French relations, as well as professional promoters of Russian policy for compatriots abroad.

Russia
Evgeni Primakov Jr renews Russian soft power as head of Rossotrudnichestvo

An influence tool and relay of Moscow's intelligence apparatus, the Rossotrudnichestvo, Moscow's cultural relations arm, is seeking new opportunities.