United in Fear

The author argues that pro-Kremlin media systematically misrepresent the European Union as a weak entity failing to manage 'multiculturalism' and the migrant crisis. This narrative is often amplified by EU-based media and xenophobic political rhetoric within EU Member States, such as in Poland and the Czech Republic. The document suggests that relying on government-run communication agencies like East StratCom is insufficient and instead recommends investing in independent Russian-language media and promoting nuanced, fact-based reporting within the EU to counter these narratives.

• Pro-Kremlin and independent Russian media frequently simplify and 'tabloidise' news about the European Union, depicting it as weak, excessively tolerant, and abandoning Christian values.
• A 2015 survey by the National Centre for Research on Europe for the European Commission found that Russia has the lowest positive view of the EU among ten strategic partners, with less than 25% of respondents holding a 'very positive' or 'somewhat positive' view.
• In Russia, 'multiculturalism' is predominantly perceived as a negative trait of the European Union, often used by pro-Kremlin media to illustrate the dangers of European integration.
• Pro-Kremlin media outlets use specific events, such as the 2016 Cologne New Year's Eve attacks and the case of a 13-year-old German girl (Lisa F), to propagate narratives that refugees and migrants are committing rapes and invading European culture.
• Xenophobic rhetoric regarding migrants and refugees is also promoted by politicians within the EU, such as Jarosław Kaczyński in Poland and Milos Zeman in the Czech Republic, which aligns with the 'language of fear' used by pro-Kremlin media.
• The author argues that EU-run communication agencies like East StratCom and NATO’s Center for Excellence in Strategic Communication are insufficient to counter disinformation because governments are prone to exaggerating successes and ignoring mistakes.
• The document proposes two solutions: investing in independent Russian-language media in Russian-speaking regions and reassessing how the EU describes its own problems internally to move beyond sensationalism.

APA

Sadouskaya-Komlach, M. (2016). United in Fear. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/united-in-fear/

Chicago

Sadouskaya-Komlach, Maryia. United in Fear. Green European Journal, 2016. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/united-in-fear/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sadouskaya-Komlach |first1=Maryia |title=United in Fear |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 July 2016 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/united-in-fear/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sadouskayakomlach2016united, author = {Sadouskaya-Komlach, Maryia}, title = {{United in Fear}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/united-in-fear/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }