A pro-Russian website, Intelligencer, has grown in popularity among American right-wing activists, propagating conspiracy theories about the Ukrainian war, election fraud, and vaccines. Former Trump advisers such as George Papadopoulos, his wife Simona Mangiante, and other persons tied to far-right media and pro-Russian narratives also support the platform.
The rise of Intelligencer comes as the U.S. government intensifies efforts to curb Russian influence in its media landscape, particularly ahead of the 2024 elections. Recently, the Department of Justice charged individuals connected to Russian state media for attempting to recruit American influencers to disseminate Kremlin propaganda.
Despite these efforts, Intelligencer has seen a 300% growth in web traffic in August, as its articles are increasingly shared on social media by far-right figures like Alex Jones and former Trump aides Roger Stone and Garrett Ziegler.
Emma Briant, an expert in political communication, notes that Russia has shifted to relying on networks of influencers and conspiracy theorists to spread disinformation, especially since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Intelligencer fits this model, often publishing content that denies climate change, promotes COVID-19 conspiracies, and supports Russian narratives regarding Ukraine.
Despite the website’s opaque ownership and lack of direct evidence of Kremlin funding, its editorial board includes several ex-Trump campaign officials and pro-Russian influencers.
The website’s origins may be traced back to TNT Radio, an Australian station founded in 2022, and George Eliason, an American journalist based in eastern Ukraine who has previously worked for Kremlin-backed media. Eliason, a key character in Intelligencer, has been a loud opponent of Ukraine and its leadership, siding with Russian state propaganda.
Contributors to the site, including Papadopoulos and Mangiante, have disproved conspiracy theories such as the Hunter Biden laptop affair and allegations of U.S. election fraud.
Intelligencer’s material is consistent with Russia’s larger efforts to destabilize Western institutions. Olga Lautman, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, warns that the website is part of a bigger network spreading far-right disinformation ahead of the US elections.
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The website also has links to Russian-backed institutions, such as Anna Soroka, an adviser to the leader of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, a separatist area in Ukraine. The United States sanctioned Luhansk’s leader, Leonid Pasechnik, for his participation in assisting Russian military activities in eastern Ukraine.
The platform has also attracted attention from European media monitoring agencies, such as France’s Viginum, which noted Intelligencer’s role in spreading pro-Russian content across the European Union.
With recognizable figures involved and an increasing reach in conservative media circles, experts believe the website represents a new form of Russian disinformation, designed to look more credible and legitimate than traditional propaganda outlets.
As Russian influence operations expand, platforms such as Intelligencer reveal how sophisticated disinformation tactics have become. Using famous American people and conspiracy-driven narratives, these platforms seek to widen political divides in the United States while boosting pro-Russian messaging.
As the United States approaches its 2024 elections, the task of countering such media dominance becomes increasingly critical.
