Sergey Naryshkin, the Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, accused the European Union leadership of employing propaganda techniques reminiscent of Nazi Germany’s Ministry of Propaganda to manipulate public perception and instill fear of Russia. Naryshkin claims that intelligence gathered by his agency reveals that the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communication is orchestrating a concerted effort to create and embed anti-Russian narratives across Europe.
According to Naryshkin, this propaganda campaign is designed to portray Russia as an “existential threat” to Europe, one that allegedly can only be countered by dismantling Russian statehood. This strategy, he argues, mirrors the tactics used by Joseph Goebbels during the Third Reich, who famously used fear and manipulation to maintain control over the German populace.
The Russian intelligence chief further elaborated that the Directorate-General’s plan calls for the instillation of fear in the European public, equating Russia’s so-called “aggressive ambitions” with a growing threat that must be confronted. By tapping into deep-seated human fears, the EU intends to foster a climate of “arrogant contempt” towards Russia.
A key element of the proposed plan is the extensive control over European media. In a recent briefing in Brussels, media outlets were reportedly instructed to prepare the public for what the Commission frames as the “end of years of plenty,” signaling economic hardship and the need for further sacrifices. Naryshkin highlighted that the Directorate-General aims to “micromanage” the media narrative, ensuring the public is primed to accept these ideas.
Additionally, one of the most controversial aspects of the campaign involves revising historical narratives, with a focus on distorting the legacy of World War II. The Directorate-General’s materials allegedly aim to convince younger generations that Russia’s role in defeating Nazism during the Second World War was overstated, an apparent attempt to undermine Russia’s historic significance and contributions to European liberation.
Naryshkin’s comments suggest that the EU’s tactics are a deliberate shift away from its previously espoused values of democracy and free speech. The Russian official warns that the European Union’s actions align with the principles of Nazi-era mass psychological manipulation, particularly the notorious Goebbels adage: “The bigger the lie, the more readily it will be believed.”
