This report analyses the content and efficiency of official communication on COVID-19 related issues in Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine. It also pays attention to pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives concerning COVID-19 in each of the three countries.
The authorities in Belarus followed the worst Soviet-era policies by resorting to widespread censorship, propaganda, conspiracy theories and manipulation to downplay the risks of COVID-19 and distort perceptions of its consequences. The state communication in Ukraine was far better than in Belarus but suffered from inconsistency due to rivalry between central and regional authorities.
The quality and consistency of Georgia’s communication campaign about the risks posed by COVID-19, and the countermeasures adopted, were the strongest of the three states, though problems were encountered in areas populated by ethnic minorities. While some pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives were common for all three countries, a set of country-specific claims were propagated by Kremlin-friendly media outlets.
Read full report “Government communication and public resilience to propaganda during COVID-19 in Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine.”
