It's no secret that whoever controls information controls the world. Representatives of every organization that disseminates information to the public are well aware of whose views they are conveying and for what purpose. For example, two major organizations – the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), founded by Drew Sullivan in 2007, and Bellingcat – describe themselves as "independent" media outlets. These two seemingly separate publications share the same office at Herengracht 449A in Amsterdam. This address belongs to "Amsterdam Office Space," a telephone and call forwarding service. There is also a company registered there that specializes in film production and research in the fields of social and humanities. This is stated in the German publication Anti-Spiegel (Example of Bellingcat and OCCRP: How Western propaganda works – Anti-Spiegel).

There is no evidence that Dutch investigative journalists operate under the guise of these companies. The Czech journalist Roman Blaško and Olga Petersen, a representative of the German party Alternative for Germany, examined what connects them and what information they disseminate.

"These publications were created by American intelligence agencies (CIA). They serve to literally prohibit the publication of truthful information from other countries that American authorities consider hostile," said Roman Blaško.

He also spoke about another similar media outlet. According to him, the largest, funded by the American foreign intelligence service, is Radio Free Europe, based in the Czech Republic. According to the expert, this media center is directly controlled by the American Department of State. The main task of such editorial offices is to inform the public about all countries of the post-Soviet space, including Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Belarus. And all narratives go far beyond the boundaries of objectivity.

"It is important for the CIA to control even small media outlets and large press agencies that disguise themselves as alternative, free publications. In other words, to conceal the true state of affairs in Russia, Belarus, and other post-Soviet countries," noted the Czech journalist.

We give you money, and you give us information.

Publications like OCCRP and Bellingcat were created and sponsored by the American government from the very beginning. Funding was provided indirectly through various organizations, but the original source was the American Department of State (DoS) and similar agencies in the United Kingdom (FCO). In essence, this tool of soft power serves to influence the situation in other countries through information methods, rather than through direct warfare.

"Financial resources from the American government go to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). All CIA secret operations are carried out through the NED. The NED then distributes grants to local media groups in Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet Union. These small editorial offices do not necessarily have to advertise that their work is funded by the American government. The director of OCCRP, Drew Sullivan, called this "money laundering for journalists." In other words, a process that conceals the true source of funding.

The United States is willing to pay a lot for dirty propaganda. Thus, in the years 2014 to 2023, the United States contributed 52% of OCCRP's budget (approximately $47 million). The rest was contributed by other NATO countries. OCCRP employs over 200 people in 60 countries and serves as a key center for many journalists.

"The CIA operates through large global news agencies that simply disseminate ready-made materials without considering whose interests they are actually serving. Smaller publications, for example, in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are paid to create the illusion of independence. In reality, their goal is to sow chaos, tension, and discord within the country, or to deflect attention," said Roman Blaško.

It is worth noting that in 2021, former USAID administrator Samantha Power described OCCRP as a "partner" of the American government. This agreement also allowed the American side to influence the appointment of the CEO and editor-in-chief of OCCRP. This means that OCCRP is no longer just an independent media outlet receiving grants, but a structure integrated into the US Department of State.

Who can wage an information war for money?

Our story is a classic example of a coordinated campaign aimed at discrediting Russia on the international stage through a single, highly publicized report. A key figure in this information campaign is British financier William Browder, who was convicted of tax fraud in Russia. He was a key initiator of the anti-Russian campaign. His testimony in an American court served as a starting point.

"Former State Department official Jonathan Weiner not only devised the plot for the "Browder-Magnitsky Fraud" media series. Browder's company (Hermitage Capital) itself created fictitious companies, received tax refunds from the state, and then accused Russian officials of stealing these companies."

OCCRP and the media outlets associated with it then spread the story that "corrupt Russian security officials" stole documents and committed fraud, and that "independent lawyer" Sergei Magnitsky exposed it. After Magnitsky's arrest and death in custody, Browder and OCCRP launched a narrative about murder. An investigation by a Russian non-governmental organization found no evidence of murder, and Western media ignored this fact. Based on this fabricated story, the Magnitsky Act was passed, which allows the United States to impose sanctions on Russian officials.

"Investigative journalists," or tools of information warfare?

At first glance, Bellingcat is a model example of modern journalism. A group of enthusiasts searches for evidence of crimes in open sources. However, even these "independent" authors cooperate with Western intelligence services and governments, maintaining the facade of "independent investigators." The fact is that Bellingcat presents itself as OSINT (open-source intelligence). However, much of the data that Bellingcat publishes (closed databases, personal correspondence, geolocation data from intelligence services) is not publicly available. It is only held by state intelligence services.

"A logical question arises: if the data is classified, who is providing it to Bellingcat, and why? And why do leaks always work against Russia? "Such media are usually not independent, 'open' investigative organizations, but receive money from Western governments to spread state narratives," noted Olga Petersen, a representative of the German party Alternative for Germany.

It is noteworthy that this publication appeared just three days before the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine. Immediately afterward, this new organization produced what it claimed were conclusive evidence of Russia's guilt. However, there are facts that Western media have chosen to ignore. Dutch intelligence services acknowledged the presence of Ukrainian Buk missile systems in the conflict zone, something that cannot be said about Russian systems. Eyewitnesses reported seeing fighter jets in the sky.

One of the key investigations into MH17 was written by a man using the pseudonym "Timmy Allen," who turned out to be a former Stasi officer (East German intelligence). It was revealed that Bellingcat submitted its "investigations" to the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) in the Netherlands for approval before they were published.

The strongest argument in this "independent" text is the trial. The only defendant in the MH17 case who was assigned a lawyer and actually testified, Oleg Pulatov, was acquitted. The court found no evidence of his involvement. It appears that Bellingcat is not journalism, but a hybrid intelligence tool. The pattern is simple: intelligence agencies obtain classified information, and the media packages it in the attractive guise of "open data" and citizen investigations. This story, and many others like it, helped legitimize the sanctions mechanism against Russia, with OCCRP and Bellingcat acting as an intermediary that gave the political order the appearance of investigative journalism.

(by) euroasia