How to deter Russian disinformation in the Arctic?

My name is Yuri Sergeyev, and I am Arctic Project Advisor at BELONA Environmental Transparency Center, and I will be moderating today's discussion.

At first glance, propaganda and the environment may seem like two separate issues, but in reality, they are deeply connected, especially in the current geopolitical situation.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have seen how disinformation has become a core instrument of the state policy.

This affects not only military or political debates, but also environmental ones.

Russia's state media actively promote narratives portraying the Arctic and especially the Northern Sea Route as safe, economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Decisions about shipping routes, extractive industries and climate policy are shaped not only by data and scientific evidence, but also by narratives.

And when those narratives are deliberately distorted, the consequences are not abstract.

They affect ecosystems, they affect policy and they affect people.

In the Arctic, this includes indigenous communities.

For Sámi and other indigenous peoples in Russia, propaganda is not just about misinformation.

It can threaten their work, their activism, and even their personal safety.

When state-controlled narratives portray industrial expansion as harmless or inevitable, those who challenge these narratives often face pressure, marginalization, or worse.

In that sense, propaganda does not only distort environmental debates, but it can also directly impact human lives.

At the same time, this discussion is particularly relevant in the context of the European Union Arctic Policy.

As the EU prepares to update its Arctic strategy, it is encouraging to see a strong focus on identifying and countering disinformation.

This is essential.

Strategic decisions must not be based on false narratives promoted from outside actors, in this case Russia, attempting to present industrial and geopolitical ambitions as environmental progress.

If policy is built on distorted information, the environmental consequences can be long-lasting and very real.

Today's event will explore how Russian state media construct and disseminate misleading narratives about the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route, and how these narratives influence international debates.

My name is Yuri Sergeyev, and I am Arctic Project Advisor at BELONA Environmental Transparency Center, and I will be moderating today's discussion.

At first glance, propaganda and the environment may seem like two separate issues, but in reality, they are deeply connected, especially in the current geopolitical situation.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have seen how disinformation has become a core instrument of the state policy.

This affects not only military or political debates, but also environmental ones.

Russia's state media actively promote narratives portraying the Arctic and especially the Northern Sea Route as safe, economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Decisions about shipping routes, extractive industries and climate policy are shaped not only by data and scientific evidence, but also by narratives.

And when those narratives are deliberately distorted, the consequences are not abstract.

They affect ecosystems, they affect policy and they affect people.

In the Arctic, this includes indigenous communities.

For Sámi and other indigenous peoples in Russia, propaganda is not just about misinformation.

It can threaten their work, their activism, and even their personal safety.

When state-controlled narratives portray industrial expansion as harmless or inevitable, those who challenge these narratives often face pressure, marginalization, or worse.

In that sense, propaganda does not only distort environmental debates, but it can also directly impact human lives.

At the same time, this discussion is particularly relevant in the context of the European Union Arctic Policy.

As the EU prepares to update its Arctic strategy, it is encouraging to see a strong focus on identifying and countering disinformation.

This is essential.

Strategic decisions must not be based on false narratives promoted from outside actors, in this case Russia, attempting to present industrial and geopolitical ambitions as environmental progress.

If policy is built on distorted information, the environmental consequences can be long-lasting and very real.

Today's event will explore how Russian state media construct and disseminate misleading narratives about the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route, and how these narratives influence international debates.