By Hans Ngala*
The UK government has sanctioned three Russian citizens, accusing them of fronting as Russian journalists in Africa while actually serving as spies for their country. The sanctions follow a publication by VIGINUM, a French government agency that researches information manipulation which accuses the African Initiative – a Russian news outlet focused on Africa – of being a front for Russia’s disinformation campaigns in Africa.
In a statement seen by CNA, the UK government said “The UK is sanctioning Victor LUKOVENKO, Artyom KUREYEV and Anna ZAMAREYEVA for their role in the interference agency African Initiative. These sanctions highlight the hybridity of Russian operations and their expansion beyond Europe.”
Kureyev serves as African Initiative’s editor-in-chief; Lukovenko serves as liaison officer for African Initiative local offices and also regularly contributes articles to the platform while Zamareyeva is the outlet’s deputy editor.
On page 6 of its 48-page report, VIGINUM says “There is a realistic possibility that A. Kureyev has been employed as an agent of influence within various European structures in order to propagate the Kremlin’s narratives. For example, in 2011, at the fifth Russia-EU Forum organised in Brussels22 A. Kureyev attended alongside other individuals suspected of being agents of the RIS (Russian Intelligence Services)”.
On Lukovenko, the French organization describes him thus: “Several open-source investigations have demonstrated his close links with the GRU in particular, he was allegedly recruited by Colonel Denis Smolyaninov, a specialist in psychological operations, and deployed to Ukraine in 2022 …”. He is also described as “a blogger and self-proclaimed “expert” on West Africa” who has authored several articles on The African Inititiative’s website afrinz.ru.
At press time, the nature of the sanctions against the trio was not yet clear but a total of 18 Russian military officials were sanctioned by the UK government for their disinformation campaigns in Africa and various other roles as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters a fourth year.
VIGINUM, a French company which published its findings on the African Initiative in collaboration with other Western countries, says “African Initiative is led by individuals suspected by several open-source investigations of having ties to the Russian intelligence services (RIS) suggesting that this structure is a front, unofficially administered by the RIS to disseminate propaganda. Moreover, several of its leaders appear to have significant experience in influence, particularly in former Soviet bloc countries”. The company further states that “African Initiative is a “two-headed” structure physically present on the African continent through an “NGO” model that recruits influencers, journalists and “grassroots” activists tasked with relaying and amplifying pro-Russian narratives among local populations”.
However, to Raoul Sumo Tayo, a researcher on Africa-Russia who also writes for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) “The African Initiative can contribute to the dissemination of fake news through disinformation campaigns that may exacerbate certain phenomena already underway, which can, in one way or another, intensify anti-Western resentment and present Russia in a different light. It goes without saying that this tool of information warfare, as an instrument of Russia’s foreign policy, can influence public opinion perceptions, especially through the spread of propaganda via social media”. But he says that “The impact of the African Initiative in Africa in general, and more particularly in Cameroon, is marginal”. The researcher argues that “Yes, the AFree application (promoted by the African Initiative) can indeed contribute to propaganda and disinformation about Cameroon and other countries. But on the ground, its impact remains marginal. Beyond a few viral campaigns that may appear here and there, overall, its influence is rather limited”.
He says that Lukovenko, Kureyev and Zamareyeva – “the sanctioned persons are affected directly or indirectly by these sanctions” imposed by the UK government, because “restrictions on freedom could have an impact on the people responsible for this Initiative”.
Tayo further clarifies that “The popular masses in Francophone Africa are not necessarily pro-Russian, but they easily embrace Russian propaganda for the simple and sole reason that Russia is presented — rightly so – as the main adversary of the West. In a context where populations perceive the West as either the supporter of, or the direct and indirect cause of, their misfortunes, it is only natural that the enemy of their enemy becomes their friend”.
The UK High Commissioner is yet to clarify on the precise nature of the sanctions and how those will deter The African Initiative. At press time CNA had sent an email to The African Initiative for over a week but hadn’t received a response.
*Hans Ngala is Political Affairs Editor for Cameroon News Agency. He holds an MA in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and has covered health and political issues for various NGOs in Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Madagascar and South Africa. He’s also a contributing writer for TGC Africa in South Africa.
