Pro-Russian Voice of Europe back online from Kazakhstan

The outlet Voice of Europe, allegedly involved in a pro-Russian propaganda network, has restarted operations based in Kazakhstan after it was ousted from the Czech Republic last month, Euractiv’s data shows. 

On 27 March, the Czech and Polish authorities’ investigation uncovered what they said was a pro-Russian influence operation in Europe involving pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk and the news outlet Voice of Europe. Shortly after the revelation, the website went offline. 

According to data reviewed by Euractiv, the IP address 109.248.170.82 was updated on the 10 of March, while the website is now hosted in ghost.kz, a Kazakh cloud and website service. The site then published again on 11 April.

The Czech Republic is now pushing to include Voice of Europe in the EU sanctions list alongside Moscow-sponsored Russia Today and Sputnik, an EU diplomat told Euractiv, while De Croo said he would bring the topic of Russian interference to the EU leaders’ summit this Wednesday and Thursday (17 and 18 April). 

Earlier reports suggested that Kazakhstan has been one of Russia’s favourite places to work around EU sanctions and get access to advanced technologies and dual-use items following its attack on Ukraine.

Over the period to September last year, EU export of such goods to Russia declined by €3.231 billion, or 95.44%.

Meanwhile, the EU saw a sharp increase in exports of the same goods to West and Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan (333.18%).  

Following Prague’s revelations, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo also announced that the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office had launched a probe to investigate the case while reiterating that Moscow has paid MEPs to spread pro-Russian propaganda.

In one of their first posts after re-launching, the website referenced a debate on Russian interference in the European Parliament.

Voice of Europe argued the event was part of an “ongoing coordinated attack on the press freedom and the smear campaign against legitimate opposition politicians and MEPs [members of the European Parliament], that left-liberal globalist elites in EU raised against Voice of Europe media outlet and everyone who dares to offer an alternative vision”.

The post continued, “Much was heard today in Bruxelles, except for the proofs [sic] for the accusations.” 

Despite statements from Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and media reports citing Czech intelligence sources, no formal prosecutions have been initiated by any legal authorities.

According to De Croo, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been “approached and paid” by Moscow as part of Voice of Europe’s pro-Russian propaganda network.

Additional reporting by Thomas Moller-Nielsen

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Alice Taylor]

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