RUSSIAN INFLUENCE
VSQUARE SPECIAL REPORT
How Central Europe was trapped by Eastern input
Russian influencing strategies are like a swarm of bees: they consist of many small factors that don’t match one particular frame. VSquare Project report presents an analysis of Russian propaganda influencing, which turns out to be the main weapon used in a quiet information war.
Belt, road, and humbug. China’s investments in Poland
Until recently, Poland was the biggest recipient of Chinese investment of the Visegrad Group countries and the eighth biggest in the European Union. It is a thing of the past, though. And the future does not look so rosy anymore. How does China engage in Poland? This question has no simple answer. Polish politicians like […]
VSquare
Silk route,
hard realities
Polish politicians have a mouth full of clichés about the entry of big Chinese businesses into the country. The only person looking after their interests today is Marek Suski, the head of the Prime Minister’s political cabinet. He is doing it unofficially. And he has no idea about China or business.
The ghost train
What are the reasons the reasons behind Orban’s rhetoric and China’s reluctance to invest in Hungary?
Between facts and propaganda: China goes to Visegrad
China’s investment in Central European countries is the result of US and EU policy. On the one hand a tough policy towards Beijing, and on the other hand, a desire for Chinese investment. And a lot, a lot of official propaganda
VSquare
Bloody amber
Every year, dozens of tons of illegal amber from Ukraine find their way into Poland. It is a business worth billions of dollars controlled by Ukrainian mafia. Without the precious raw material smuggled from across the eastern border, there would be no amber jewellery – Poland’s showcase product.
Proud and patriotic. Polish soldiers of 2018
Polish soldiers like to wear national symbols, such as the emblem and flag, in the form of tattoos. They do much more often than civilians. Such patriotic tattoos are supported by every second soldier, but only every fourth Pole.
VSquare
Flight to anywhere
A company with ties to the Hungarian government which often flies Hungarian oligarchs by helicopter has recently co-founded a new company with Pennsylvania registered International Defense & Aerospace Group LLC (IDAG). IDAG sold helicopters to the Hungarian police in 2017 and one of its co-owners was involved in an infamous helicopter deal a year before.
Western Ukraine burning. How Russia sets fire to the EU’s external border
Disguised as Ukrainian nationalists, three Poles set fire to the seat of Hungarian minority in Ukraine. It might sound like a scene from „The Olsen Gang”, but it is not – it really happened. The country that benefits from the arsons is Russia. Authors: Anastasiya Moroz, Sebastian Klauziński, Szabolcs Panyi, Patryk Szczepaniak, Konrad Szczygieł (oko.press) […]
Police tracking journalists, not murderers
This was supposed to be a friendly conversation to help police investigate Jan Kuciak’s murder. She was interrogated eight hours, then her phone was taken.
Cast some votes for Putin
It was at the end of the day that we realized: they were cheating us. Suddenly it became clear that in Putin’s Russia, there’s no need to falsify votes in the elections. They know better tricks.
Mateusz Bajek