Behind the Curtain: Unveiling Pro-Kremlin Ecosystems in Europe

Published: 9 January 2025

This research was designed to investigate the connections and similarities between radical, conspiracy, and pro-Kremlin communities across three European countries – France, Germany, and Italy. The objective was to gain insights into how these communities interact with and influence one another. The study focuses on Telegram, a platform which has long been noted for its growing popularity among radical and conspiracy groups in Europe and whose founder was recently arrested, prompting a new wave of questions about the company’s efficacy with moderating problematic (and at times illegal) content. This report provides a detailed overview of the ecosystem within which pro-Kremlin, radical, and conspiracy communities operate on Telegram, examining their proximity, interactions, and the themes they discussed from January 2022 to the end of February 2024.

Through an in-depth network analysis of these interactions, the report highlights how pro-Kremlin narratives have permeated radical and conspiracy communities within the three countries. It also identifies key influencers who have played a significant role in shaping these narratives and steering community discussions.

The research then employs semantic mapping, a clustering approach for analysing the textual content of posts, to assess posts from these communities over the two-year period. This approach provides a comprehensive view of the central themes discussed within each community, highlighting overlaps and similarities in their discussions, as well as the evolution of trending narratives over time. By tracing these changes, the report sheds light on the dynamic nature of discourse within these groups and the impact of pro-Kremlin messaging within radical and conspiracy communities.