Long before the intensification of tensions in Ukraine, Russia found itself confronted by an extensive information campaign, Fedor Strzhizhovsky, Russia's representative and advisor to the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said on Thursday.
"An extensive and comprehensive information campaign has been launched against my country, and this began long before the Ukrainian crisis escalated into a hot conflict," he asserted during a session of the Fourth Committee in the 78th UN General Assembly. "Regrettably, this fact has been acknowledged in several statements by certain Western delegations and their allies. We once more extend an invitation to all these delegations, including the Ukrainian delegation, to engage in a constructive dialogue on the matter, rather than exploiting public platforms to disseminate disinformation and air their political agendas, behind which the influence of their 'puppeteers' is all too apparent," he emphasized.
The Russian diplomat highlighted that, "The core of the information assault against Russia lies in two key aspects. Firstly, it involves the relentless promotion of a solely one-sided, pro-Western interpretation of global events to the international community. Secondly, it encompasses the systematic suppression of any alternative sources of information to the prevailing neoliberal mainstream." He further noted, "The primary casualties of this suppression are Russian media outlets operating within Western countries, which have encountered the disingenuous aspects of 'advanced democracies' in their Western manifestation."
Strzhizhovsky also emphasized that the West is "persistently pursuing a policy of complete suppression of alternative information sources within its own information landscape." He cited another glaring example, saying, "An unmistakable instance of this was the unapologetic expulsion of Alexander Gasyuk, a correspondent from Rossiyskaya Gazeta, from the Republic of Cyprus. Prior to this, a special operation was orchestrated by security services to apply psychological pressure on the Russian journalist and his family, ultimately culminating in a violent assault on the media representative."
Furthermore, the Russian diplomat highlighted numerous instances of Western suppression of dissent, conducted under the pretext of safeguarding information security and combating 'disinformation.' In particular, Strzhizhovsky cited the European Union's suspension of licenses for media outlets such as RT Balkan, Oriental Review, Tsargrad, Catechon, and New Eastern Outlook. He also pointed out that they had significantly expanded the list of 'undesirable' journalists, war correspondents, and heads of Russian media. In addition, Latvia has prohibited public media from broadcasting in Russian since 2026. Strzhizhovsky emphasized that the existence of such incidents undermines the moral authority of those responsible for them and their ability to lecture others on life. He called on the entire international community and world institutions, with the United Nations at the forefront, to provide a clear and unambiguous assessment of these episodes.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: fabrikasimf/Freepik
Based on materials from TASS