Russian Playbook: Foreign Infor­mation Manip­u­lation and Inter­ference (FIMI) in Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, and Ukraine

 ‌ 29. Jul 2026  
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Election inter­ference in Moldova and Armenia, anti-Western conspiracy theories in Georgia, infor­mation warfare alongside military aggression in Ukraine, and manip­u­lation of public debate in Germany illus­trate the different forms of Russia’s FIMI (foreign infor­mation manip­u­lation and inter­ference) across the EU and its eastern neigh­bourhood. While Moscow adapts its methods to different national contexts, these opera­tions follow a common playbook aimed at exploiting societal divisions, weakening democ­ratic insti­tu­tions, and advancing Russian geopo­litical interests.

The five country studies in this dossier examine Russia’s FIMI playbook in Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, and Ukraine through a compar­ative lens. They analyse strategic objec­tives, narra­tives, tactics, actors, channels, and vulner­a­bil­ities, while identi­fying common patterns and country-specific adapta­tions. The publi­ca­tions also explore national responses, remaining gaps, and lessons for strength­ening democ­ratic resilience against FIMI.

The country studies are part of LibMod’s Eastern Partnership Plus Programme, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Georgia's information environment has undergone a fundamental shift. Pro-Russian influence operations are no longer driven primarily by external actors, such as Kremlin-controlled media, but increasingly by domestic actors, including the Georgian Dream government. As a result, anti-Western disinformation has entered Georgia's political mainstream.

Inter­nalized FIMI — How Russian infor­mation manip­u­lation became domestic political commu­ni­cation in Georgia

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29. Jul 2026

Georgia’s infor­mation environment has undergone a funda­mental shift. Pro-Russian influence opera­tions are no longer driven primarily by external actors, such as Kremlin-controlled media, but increas­ingly by domestic actors, including the Georgian Dream government. As a result, anti-Western disin­for­mation has entered Georgia’s political mainstream.

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