The British government’s decision to impose sanctions on a number of Russian entities accused by London of participating in information warfare signals a new level of Western response to hybrid threats. In particular, restrictions were imposed on the Russian Telegram channel Rybar and its co-owner Mikhail Zvinchuk, the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, and Alexander Dugin’s Center for Geopolitical Expertise think tank. According to Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, this is a response to targeted pressure from “hostile states” seeking to undermine support for Ukraine, destabilize European democracies, and target European critical infrastructure through cyberattacks and disinformation.
These new sanctions are linked to specific episodes of Russian information operations. These include fake websites and political advertising during the recent elections in Moldova, as well as the creation of fake news resources that spread fake videos about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife in order to undermine confidence in the Ukrainian leadership and reduce support for Kyiv among Western audiences. Such campaigns are amplified by readily available AI tools that enable the production of content that is then massively distributed via social media.
In particular, Mikhail Zvinchuk, who worked in the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense until 2019, was added to the British sanctions list. and then, together with programmer Denis Shchukin, created the Telegram channel Rybar, which has become one of the most influential military channels in the Russian-speaking segment, with over 1.3 million subscribers, hundreds of thousands of views for each publication, and a staff of 40 employees. Zvintchuk is one of the key mouthpieces of Russian propaganda, spreading Kremlin narratives about the “special military operation” and justifying the crimes of the Russian military.
The EU already added Zvinchuk to its sanctions list in 2023 for his participation in the Kremlin working group that coordinated mobilization and for his role in spreading disinformation about the war. The UK now also recognizes him as a participant in the propaganda campaign against Ukraine. It is separately emphasized that Rybar is not an “independent blog”; it is partially funded by the Russian presidential administration, receives funds from state corporations, and is linked to Russian intelligence structures.
In addition, the Pravfond fund, created in 2012 by decree of then-President Dmitry Medvedev to “protect the rights of compatriots abroad” and financed from the budget of the Russian Foreign Ministry, was also sanctioned. European investigations show that a significant part of its budget goes not to helping ordinary citizens, but to the legal defense of individuals involved in espionage, terrorism, or Russian special services operations. For example, Pravfond paid for the services of lawyers for Viktor Bout, an arms dealer convicted in the United States, and also covered the costs of the case of Vadim Krasikov, who was sentenced in Germany for a political assassination in Berlin organized by Moscow.
Another important aspect of Pravfond’s activities is its role as an instrument of influence on public opinion and diaspora communities in Europe. For example, the fund finances a network of legal centers in approximately 20 countries, investing significant funds in cultural and media projects aimed at combating “Russophobia” and “falsification of history.” In particular, it financed a conference in the Balkans where “foreign speakers” were to promote narratives about “Ukrainian Nazism,” and also financed the propaganda websites Golos and Euromore, which target Ukrainian and Russian-speaking audiences. Back in 2021, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service identified Pravfond as a cover for the GRU, linked to Unit 54777, which specializes in information and psychological operations.
Sanctions have also been imposed on Alexander Dugin, a Russian ultra-nationalist and ideologist of “neo-Eurasianism,” and his “Center for Geopolitical Expertise.” In the early 2000s, the center operated under the Russian State Duma, and Dugin himself was involved in the “educational” process for future elites. His book “The Foundations of Geopolitics” was used as a textbook in military academies and schools of public administration.
Today, the Center for Geopolitical Expertise is positioned as a think tank that develops concepts of “Eurasian integration” and “the fight against Western hegemony.” In reality, according to British officials, it is a channel for spreading imperialist views that justify the Russian Federation’s aggressive policies, as well as a platform for introducing neo-imperialist ideas among state structures and the military. Sanctions against Dugin and his center mean that London views extremist ideologues as an integral part of Russia’s information warfare machine, rather than as “marginal philosophers.”
The new package of sanctions reflects changes in the British and European approach to information warfare. Whereas previously personal restrictions were imposed on propagandists, now they apply to institutional and financial structures that support the work of influence networks and organize conferences and media platforms abroad. This opens up the possibility of further criminal proceedings, asset freezes, and travel restrictions for those involved, which will complicate the work of Russian influence networks and make information warfare more risky for its organizers.