Putin memo "extremely likely": Did Russian bots fuel Sanna Marin's party shitstorm?
Created: 09/01/2022, 11:17 am
By: Andreas Schmid
Clear proximity to Europe instead of Russia - and therefore in the focus of Putin bots?
Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
© IMAGO/Bart Maat
Is Russia behind Sanna Marin's leaked party videos?
"It is extremely likely that Russian trolls are deliberately fueling the shitstorm," says one expert.
Helsinki – The private life of Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin has been the focus of interest for days.
The reason: In mid-August, party videos by the 36-year-old social democrat were published on the Internet.
They show Marin dancing with friends.
A debate broke out about the Prime Minister's leisure activities, and not just in Finland.
"What's the problem?" Some asked.
"It's not possible," argued the others.
In the end, Marin felt compelled to take a drug test.
He turned out negative.
Several politicians have defended Marin, but she is met with a wave of hatred online.
Possibly also thanks to Russian bots?
In any case, there is the suspicion of a targeted Russian campaign against the politician who is critical of the Kremlin.
Sanna Marin's party videos: Russian trolls "very likely" responsible for Shitstorm
Christopher Nehring specializes in researching and analyzing disinformation campaigns.
He told the Business Insider
portal
: "It is extremely likely that Russian trolls and bots are specifically heating up the shitstorm against Sanna Marin." Social media accounts that automatically create a large number of posts.
At Marin, the same text is repeatedly copied and shared by ominous user profiles.
According to his own statements, Nehring observes “the classic approach” of Russian influence in the criticism of Marin expressed on the Internet: “Debates should be heated up and manipulated, unpopular personalities should be discredited as a result.” Whether Russian fake accounts were the first to publish the video or the widespread discrediting what happened after that cannot be said for sure.
Sanna Marin: "She is a natural target for Russian propaganda"
But with Marin, a lot comes together.
“She represents a great deal of what Russia is fighting in Europe: young, female, socially liberal and she has led her country into NATO – after decades of 'neutrality'.
She is a natural target for Russian propaganda.”
CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter believes so too.
"Sanna Marin is representative of everything that Putin's fascistoid regime opposes," he told
Cicero
magazine .
"She is a young, successful woman who prescribed a clear pro-Western course for Finland and led her into NATO." It is clear that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin will not accept this Russia-critical policy.
The Kremlin's "hybrid warfare" fits in with the prime minister's discrediting.
Sanna Marin: Criticism of Russia and NATO accession
Sanna Marin has been Prime Minister of Finland since December 2019.
As such, she is also known for her criticism of Russia and Vladimir Putin.
Finland has stood firmly with Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
Marin calls for a visa freeze for Russians in Europe and recently tightened entry rules for Russian citizens.
She called it "unfair" that Russians can vacation in Europe "while Russia is killing people in Ukraine."
Marin could also be a thorn in the side of the Russian government because it did what Finland had long considered unthinkable: it led the country, which had been “neutral” for years, into NATO.
Accession negotiations are currently underway, together with Sweden.
In record time she made the Finnish turnaround perfect.
This is politically explosive insofar as Finland and Russia share a 1400-kilometer border.
In a way, NATO is getting closer to Russia.
Sanna Marin (r) with Magdalena Andersson, Prime Minister of Sweden.
The Scandinavian countries are striving to join NATO.
© Paul Wennerholm/dpa
Party video by Sanna Marin: Baerbock defends the Prime Minister of Finland
By the way, Marin's party video is not just a topic in Scandinavia.
Politicians around the world spoke out.
Hillary Clinton said: "Please keep dancing", Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock said: "Even if it might shock some: Politicians are people, they have a private life." Light and fun amidst these dark clouds.”
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