Lugar Centre in Tbilisi (NCDC)
The chairman of the Russian Duma’s Defence Committee has warned that Russia will take ‘diplomatic and military measures’ over a US-funded lab in Georgia. He said the Lugar Centre in Tbilisi was ‘designing bio-weapons and viruses’, while Georgia called the accusation ‘absurd propaganda’. [Read more…]
A sign saying ‘No to the occupier’s filthy propaganda’ (on.ge)
Dozens of people gathered outside the Vere Palace Hotel in Tbilisi on Wednesday to protest the Russian government funded International South Caucasian Media Forum. Several of the forum’s organisers had been prevented from entering the country for ‘violating Georgia’s Law on the Occupied Territories’. [Read more…]
(kommersant.ru)
Gazprom Media, the largest Russian state-owned media holding, has said they are to begin broadcasting in Georgia. The move has been criticised by some, with a petition calling it a part of a ‘Russian hybrid war against Georgia’ and calling on Georgia’s TV regulator to prevent them from broadcasting in the country gaining over 3,000 signatures. [Read more…]
(Mari Nikuradze/OC Media)
On 13 February, the United States released its Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community. In it, the significance of Russian influence operations in Georgia were highlighted. Just eight days earlier, on 5 February, a coalition of Georgia’s leading non-governmental organisations made an official offer to support the Government of Georgia, the EU, and NATO in their efforts to counter anti-Western propaganda. [Read more…]
