Anti-Belarusian Sites Grow More Numerous and More Vitriolic Over Last Two Years, New Study Says

 Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 18 – The International Strategic Action Network for Security (iSANS) says in a new 35-page report that the number of anti-Belarusian websites and portals has increased dramatically over the last two years and their tone has become far more vitriolic (east-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Belarus-Disinformation-Propaganda-2019-RU.pdf).

            Prepared by iSANS East Analytic Center under the direction of that body’s head, Andrey Yeliseyev, says that the sites not only operate in Minsk but in the regions and increasingly “call into question the sovereignty and independence of Belarus and its territorial integrity as well” (cf. review at reform.by/kolichestvo-saytov-s-antibelarusskoy-propagandoy/).

                There are now “about 40” such sites and portals which have significant audiences.  (There are many others which have failed to attract much of a following, the report says.) The study divides the sites into four groups:

1.      The most aggressive (Ross-bel.ru, Teleskop, Sozh, Vitbich, Berestje-News, GrodnoDaily, Mogilew.by, Podneprovie-Info, Imhoclub.by, Dranik, Politring)

2.      Sites with High Levels of Disinformation ( 4esnok, Sonar2050, Друзья-сябры, Sputnik Беларусь, Belvpo, Vesti24, EADaily, Regnum)

3.      Sites with moderate levels of disinformation (РИА ФАН, ИА REX, Politnavigator, Oko-Planet, News-Front, Ukraina.ru, Materik, Topwar, Ruskline, Cont.ws, Fondsk.su, Rusvesna, Rubaltic)

4.      Less Active sources of disinformation (Rosbelsoyuz, Inspect.by, Vitrusdom, Soglasie, Mogilew.net, Mogilew.org, Mogilew.com, ImperiyaNews).

What is especially worrisome, the report says, is that anti-Belarusian sites have been set up in the regions of Belarus. This network was completed last year and covers all Belarusian oblasts. Among its most important sites are Teleskop-by.org, Sozh.info, Vitbich.org, Berestje-News.org, GrodnoDaily.net, Mogilew.by, Podneprovie-Info.com, and Dranik.org.

The study also documents the links of many of these sites to the Russian Embassy in Minsk and to Russian personnel with a long history of involvement in disinformation.