MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2020) There is no disinformation and propaganda in the Russian media, member of the Russian upper house Oleg Morozov told Sputnik on Thursday in comments on a recent report by the US, adding that the country's media outlets are "too polite and well-mannered" compared to the US ones.
On Wednesday, the US Department of State's Global Engagement Center (GEC) published a report entitled "Russia's Pillars of Disinformation and Propaganda." According to the report, Russian official government communications, state-funded global messaging, the cultivation of proxy sources, the weaponization of social media and cyber-enabled disinformation are five pillars of "Russia's disinformation and propaganda ecosystem." GEC cites headlines of the Sputnik news agency, RIA Novosti, RT broadcaster, Channel One, Rossiya-24 TV-channel and other media outlets as examples of disinformation without providing any evidence.
"This kind of accusation looks ridiculous. Compared to the United States and their actions in the field of information wars, we look way too polite and well-mannered. At least, I simply cannot recall the use of such a method as disinformation on the cited Russian information resources," Morozov said.
According to the lawmaker, Russia has a lot to learn in the field, namely, to increase activity on social networks. Information wars do not tolerate excessive politeness, therefore, it is necessary to respond to a blow with a blow, Morozov added.
Earlier in the day, the Russian embassy in the US said that the report on Russia's alleged propaganda and disinformation was an attempt to silence Russian initiatives on resuming bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Washington. According to the Russian diplomatic mission, the report also seeks to discredit alternative sources of information.
