The Atlantic Alliance in Montenegro announced that the ambassador of the Russian Federation in Podgorica, Vladislav Maslenikov, confirmed with his performance and statements in an interview published on Sunday, April 7, 2024, on the Borba portal, the mechanisms of malignant Russian influence in Montenegro, described on several occasions and analyzed in various texts of the Digital Forensic Center (DFC).
It was announced from the Atlantic Alliance that DFC has written about Ambassador Maslenikov's actions in Montenegro on several occasions.
"Describing Montenegro in an interview as a 'location ready for a new construction' of Russian presence and influence, Ambassador Maslenikov once again repeated his earlier thesis that 'EU expansion into the Balkans means drawing the countries of the region into a confrontation with Russia'. In addition, he presented a series of arbitrary assessments, starting with the manipulation of the number of casualties and wounded in the NATO intervention in the FRY (the DFC reacted on the same occasion when those figures were manipulated in the TVCG information program), through unsubstantiated estimates about the volume of Russian investments in Montenegro, and up to results of an also unsubstantiated survey according to which allegedly 'only 23 percent of citizens believe in the objectivity of the Montenegrin media', with which Ambassador Maslenikov is trying to justify his absence from the largest number of domestic media," the statement reads.
According to his own admission, as written in the announcement, Maslenikov compensates with the support of Russian proxies in Montenegro, despite the fact that Montenegro's foreign policy on this matter has been aligned with the EU's foreign policy.
"And if now, instead of government offices and diplomatic receptions in Podgorica, we attend more events in numerous municipalities in the country, that's better. That way, we learn first-hand how Montenegro lives and breathes," said Maslenikov.
In the following, we present the new DFC analysis in full on the subject of Maslenikov's last media appearance.
European dream or Russian reality
Although Russian diplomatic activities have been almost non-existent in the countries of the European Union (EU) since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the entry of political parties that act as pro-Russian proxies into the ruling coalition in Montenegro opened a new space and greater presence in public life for the ambassador of the Russian Federation in Podgorica.
Despite the fact that Montenegro has aligned its foreign policy with the EU's foreign policy in this regard, Ambassador Maslenikov is a regular guest at events organized by pro-Russian proxy actors, which coincide with Russian hybrid activities on EU territory, as he confirmed in an interview:
And if now, instead of government offices and diplomatic receptions in Podgorica, we attend events in numerous municipalities in the country, that is better. In this way, we learn first hand how Montenegro lives and breathes.
Undermining the Euro-Atlantic commitment at the local level
Russia's strategy in undermining Montenegro's European agenda consists of activities at the local level organized by pro-Russian proxies, which are in line with the Kremlin's official anti-EU narratives. Historical revisionism plays a significant role in Russian hybrid activities in the Western Balkans, especially through the abuse of religion and religious elements. The dominant activities of the Russian ambassador happen in coordination with the militant Orthodox brotherhoods in Montenegro using emotional manipulation to spread pro-Russian narratives.
One of the narratives to which Ambassador Maslenikov devoted significant space is the one about strengthening the so-called traditional ties between Montenegro and Russia, which was especially evident during the unveiling of the bust of Alexander Nevski in Andrijevica and Nikšić on December 6, 2023. The meeting was attended by the presidents of Nikšić, Andrijevica and Berane municipalities: Marko Kovačević, Željko Ćulafić and Vuko Todorović. The Russian Home in Belgrade, the Russian Embassy in Montenegro and the Serbian Orthodox Church in this sense exploit, for psychological and propaganda purposes, the mythical tradition that in the 18th century the Vasojevićs prayed to Alexander Nevsky before the decisive battle against the Turks.
Russian propaganda and hybrid effectuation of historical events culminated during the commemoration of 25 years of NATO intervention in the FRY. Russian propaganda uses that event to spread emotional and manipulative narratives, but also as a moment to activate the entire echelon of pro-Russian proxies in the Western Balkans.
Ambassador Maslenikov's hybrid activities, which undermine the strategic commitment of Montenegro, were evident during the commemoration of the anniversary of the NATO intervention on March 25, 2024 in Tivat. Maslenikov, together with the President of the Tivat Municipality Assembly Željko Komnenović and members of the Orthodox Brotherhood Miholjski Zbor, attended the funeral of the deceased member of the 63rd Parachute Brigade in the NATO intervention in 1999.
His statement from that event, that the US and NATO showed the world what humanitarian intervention is and what American democracy is with missile attacks, illustrates Moscow's multi-channel propaganda strategy that manipulates historical facts with the aim of provoking anti-Western sentiment. Also, in the statement for Borba, he perceives that event as key to the decline of NATO support in Montenegro, placing the unfounded narrative that the confrontation with the FRY and Russia is an excuse for the survival of that alliance.
On April 7, 2024, the propaganda film Tsar Nicholas between Montenegro, Serbia and Donbas by Igor Damjanović was shown in Budva, in the Academy of Knowledge founded by the municipality of Budva. The propaganda film of the pro-Russian war reporter of the IN4S portal shows how the cult of the Russian Emperor Nicholas is respected in Montenegro, Serbia and Donbass. The Russian ambassador also used this opportunity to point out the importance of nurturing traditions and international relations. The element of tradition and traditional values plays a significant role in pro-Kremlin propaganda in the Western Balkans. The narrative of preserving traditional ties with Russia in synergy with the element of the Orthodox faith represents one of the supporting pillars of Russian propaganda.
The war in Ukraine and the localization of Russia's hybrid activities
Looking at the activities and public appearances of Ambassador Maslenikov, it can be seen that the Russian strategy of hybrid actions takes place exclusively at the local level. Russia's aggression against Ukraine has marginalized any diplomatic activities of the Russian ambassador at the state level, however, pro-Russian proxy actors use every opportunity to enable the unequivocal influence of Russian hybrid activities at the level of local self-governments in which they exercise power.
Vladislav Dajković, president of Free Montenegro and head of the service for the citizens of the capital city, is one of the most consistent exponents of pro-Russian politics, and from the position he holds within the authorities in Podgorica, he facilitates the spread of pro-Russian narratives. In December 2023, Vladislav Dajković met with the president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Miloš Vučev and the mayor of Banja Luka Draško Stanivuković and participated in the election campaign of Aleksandar Vučić. After Serbia, Dajković stayed in Moscow in December 2023 and January 2024, saying that we must never forget that the Russians are our brothers and that Russia is our brotherly country and that Montenegro needs such a powerful brother and ally. In March 2024, Dajković continued his activities in Belgrade by meeting with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, stressing that Montenegro has no closer ally than Serbia, which protects and helps Serbs in the region, expressing gratitude to President Vučić for preserving the image of the Serbian people in difficult times. At a meeting with Vladislav Maslenikov in April 2024, Dajković pointed out that he was encouraged by the decline in NATO support in Montenegro. After those meetings, Dajković intensified his political activities and in April 2024 concluded an agreement on organized cooperation and unified political action with the Democratic People's Party (DNP) of Milan Knežević. In December 2023, Milan Knežević concluded a political agreement with Marko Milačić, the president of Prava Montenegro, whose pro-Russian activities were previously pointed out by the DFC. All the mentioned political activities point to the gathering of direct exponents of Serbian-Russian activity in the political life of Montenegro.
Right-wing organizations at the local level, in synergy with the representatives of the coalition For the Future of Montenegro and parts of the Serbian Orthodox Church, continuously show their commitment to the Kremlin's policy. Local levels of government in synergy with the Serbian Orthodox Church continuously enable the Russian ambassador to get out of the diplomatic blockade and facilitate the distribution of disinformation narratives that directly target Montenegrin citizens.
Bearing in mind that the support for Montenegro's membership in NATO decreased by 12%, it is important to look at the characteristics of pro-Russian narratives, but also which markers are targeted by pro-Russian propaganda. The disinformation campaign channeled from the Kremlin was based on a false narrative about sending the troops of NATO member states to Ukraine.
In an interview with Borba, Maslenikov in the context of Montenegro highlights two key narratives of pro-Kremlin propaganda: that the EU requires its members to confront Russia and that NATO will send its army to fight against Russia in Ukraine.
The trigger for pro-Russian propaganda that targets all members of the EU and NATO is the statement of French President Emmanuel Macron that he does not rule out the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine. From this statement, pro-Russian propaganda created a narrative that NATO is planning to send troops to Ukraine, which was taken over by Montenegrin proxy actors. The baseless and soon denied statement of DNP leader Milan Knežević announcing the sending of Montenegrin troops to Ukraine is on the lines of Russian propaganda at the EU level. This type of narrative, together with the continuous Russian efforts in the information sphere to undermine EU institutions in the run-up to elections in member states, coincides with Ambassador Maslenikov's narrative of the EU as a Titanic.
The secondary narrative, with which Russian propaganda targets the EU and potential new members, is the presentation of the EU as an idealess alliance managed by NATO and the USA. Therefore, in his statement for Borba, Maslenikov emphasizes the emergence of a fairer multipolar world order, and equates the partnership between the West and Montenegro with neocolonialism.
It is an obvious tactic of the Kremlin to undermine the EU agenda in Montenegro by using hybrid tactics, through pro-Russian media, diplomats and right-wing organizations. By strengthening the pro-Russian proxies through the announced reconstruction of the government, it would enable the Russian agenda of multipolarity and authoritarianism to be set as a counterpart to the EU integration of Montenegro," the DFC analysis states.
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