Russian and African Media: Exercising Soft Power

The document analyzes Russia's use of 'soft power' in Africa, highlighting the role of state-owned outlets like RT and Sputnik in promoting anti-Western narratives. It details the transition from traditional media to digital influence campaigns, including the use of 'troll farms' and local proxies to sow division and build pro-Russian sentiment. The report specifically examines the Central African Republic as a case study of 'hybrid warfare,' where digital campaigns are combined with on-the-ground activities such as film production and the financing of local radio. While these efforts aim to project an image of Russia as a major power, the document notes they are conducted on a limited budget and face increasing detection by tech companies.

• Russia utilizes state-owned media outlets, specifically RT and Sputnik, to position itself as an alternative news source and combat Western narratives in Africa, leveraging its anti-imperialist credentials.
• The Kremlin has expanded its digital reach through online news sites and social media, with approximately 4,000 African news websites re-publishing content from Kremlin-sponsored media to attract advertising revenue.
• Russian influence operations increasingly 'franchise' their model by paying local African actors to post hyper-partisan and polarising content, which provides a veneer of authenticity and plausible deniability.
• In Ghana, a Russian-linked 'troll farm' operated from a compound in Accra via an NGO called Eliminating Barriers for the Liberation of Africa (EBLA), creating over 200 accounts to inflame divisions in the US.
• In the Central African Republic (CAR), Russia employs a hybrid approach combining digital influence with on-the-ground PR, including the production of the film 'Touriste', the financing of local press, and the operation of Radio Lengo Songo via the Wagner-linked Lobaye Invest.
• Despite the projection of power, Russia's actual financial contributions to Africa are low; for instance, only $4 million of the $62.1 million Russia donated globally in 2020 went to Africa.

APA

Clifford, C., & Gruzd, S. (2022). Russian and African Media: Exercising Soft Power. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Insights-125-clifford-gruzd.pdf

Chicago

Clifford, Cayley, and Steven Gruzd. Russian and African Media: Exercising Soft Power. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2022. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Insights-125-clifford-gruzd.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Clifford |first1=Cayley |last2=Gruzd |first2=Steven |title=Russian and African Media: Exercising Soft Power |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=February 2022 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Insights-125-clifford-gruzd.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clifford2022russian, author = {Clifford, Cayley and Gruzd, Steven}, title = {{Russian and African Media: Exercising Soft Power}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Insights-125-clifford-gruzd.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }