Russian influence operations during election campaigns: European experience and lessons for Ukraine

On 20 May at 12:00 Kyiv time (EEST), the Ukraine Crisis Media Center will host an expert discussion “Russian Influence Operations During Electoral Campaigns in EU and Eastern Partnership Countries in 2024–2025: Lessons for Ukraine”. Election periods are particularly vulnerable in the information environment of democratic countries, as the volume of political communication sharply increases, the circulation of news accelerates, and media content has a stronger impact on public attitudes. The European electoral space is currently one of the key theatres of Russian influence operations. In 2024–2026, electoral campaigns in Romania, Czechia, Hungary, Germany, Moldova and Georgia became a testing ground for Russian information operations. The event will include the presentation of the analytical study “Electoral Campaigns in European Union Countries (Germany, Romania, Czechia, Hungary) and Eastern Partnership Countries (Moldova, Armenia, Georgia) in 2024–2025: Lessons for Ukraine”. Panel 1 (12:00–13:15) Questions for discussion: – Elections in EU countries as targets of Russian disinformation operations (the examples of Romania, Czechia and Hungary) – The spread of pro-Russian narratives within the electoral processes of 2025–2026 in EU countries (Germany, Romania, Czechia, Hungary) – Lessons for Ukraine: risks and possible response scenarios Speakers: • Vadym Halaichuk, First Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union, Member of Parliament of Ukraine • Fedir Shandor, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Hungary (online) • Volodymyr Solovian, Head of UCMC’s Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group • Pavel Havlíček, Research Fellow at the Association for International Affairs, Czechia (online) • Mihai Vacariu, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies, University of Bucharest, Romania • Lidiya Smola, Professor at the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", Doctor of Political Sciences, Political Analyst Special Address: - Lidiya Smola, Professor at the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", Doctor of Political Sciences, Political Analyst Panel 2 (13:45–15:00) – Moldova: the 2025 parliamentary elections through the prism of Russian propaganda – Armenia: elections amid the rise of pro-Russian forces – Georgia: elections according to the authorities’ scenario Speakers: • Tiina Ilsen, Chair of the Board of the International Practitioners Partnership Network (PractNet), Estonia • Tinatin Khidasheli, Chairwoman of the Civic IDEA, Georgia (online) • Volodymyr Solovian, Head of UCMC’s Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group • Valeriu Pașa, Political Expert, Chairman of the WatchDog.MD Community (online) • Volodymyr Kopchak, Head of the South Caucasus Branch of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies • Arnold Bleyan, Executive Director of the Armenian Center for Democracy and Security Affairs (online) -TBD • Dementiy Bilyi, Political Scientist, Local Historian, Head of the Kherson Regional Organization of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine Special Address: - Dementiy Bilyi, Political Scientist, Local Historian, Head of the Kherson Regional Organization of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine Topic: “How Russian Information Influence Evolves into Occupation and Pseudo-Referendums”. The expert discussion will take place within the framework of the project “Supporting the Strengthening of Strategic Communication as an Integral Part of Building Resilience in Ukraine” implemented in partnership with PractNet, Estonia, with the support of the European Union.