ANNA News

ANNA News was officially registered as mass media in Abkhazia on 18 July 2011 after the events of the Abkhaz–Georgian conflict.{{Cite web|date=2011-08-08|title=О нас|trans-title=About us|url=https://anna-news.info/about/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625101448/http://anna-news.info/about|archive-date=2014-06-25|access-date=2021-10-01|website=anna-news.info|language=ru}}{{Cite journal|last=Shezhkova|first=Irina|date=2016|title=Отражение Гибридной Войны В Электронных Ресурсах Украины И России|trans-title=The reflection of the Hybrid War in Ukrainian and Russian electronic resources|url=https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=32311206|journal=Вестник Антропологии|language=ru|volume=4|issue=36|page=176|issn=2311-0546|via=eLibrary.ru}} It was founded and managed by Marat Musin until his death in May 2018.{{Cite web|last=Eremenko|first=Polina|date=2019-01-31|title=Он не хотел приспосабливаться: Полина Еременко – об операторе Кирилле Радченко, убитом в ЦАР|trans-title=He did not want to adapt: Polina Eremenko – about the operator Kirill Radchenko, who was killed in the CAR|url=https://meduza.io/feature/2019/01/31/on-ne-hotel-prisposablivatsya|access-date=2021-02-02|website=Meduza|language=ru}} Musin was a specialist in financial intelligence who worked at Moscow State University and at the {{Not translated|Russian State University of Trade and Economics|qid=Q2177105}}.{{Cite web|last=Nechepurenko|first=Ivan|author-link=Ivan Nechepurenko|date=2013-03-12|title='Crazy Abkhaz' Journalists Cover Syria Frontline|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2013/03/12/crazy-abkhaz-journalists-cover-syria-frontline-a22325|access-date=2021-02-02|website=The Moscow Times}}

The agency takes a pro-Kremlin position,Adam Taylor & Joyce Lee, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/10/15/video-appears-show-russian-soldiers-abandoned-us-base-syria/ U.S. troops abandoned their Syrian base. Video appears to show Russians have moved in], Washington Post (October 15, 2019): "pro-Kremlin media outlets such as the Abkhazian Network News Agency"[https://medium.com/dfrlab/the-kremlins-amplifiers-in-germany-da62a836aa83 The Kremlin's Amplifiers in Germany: The activists, bots, and trolls that boost Russian propaganda], Atlantic Council Digital Forensic Research Lab (June 22, 2017). and is part of a wider network of outlets that amplifies Russian propaganda. ANNA publishes in the Russian language and is known for being "a voracious purveyor of insider YouTube footage of the Syrian civil war since 2012"; ANNA embedded with the Syrian Arab Army in their operations against rebels.[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/08/syria-tank-footage-devastation-darayya_n_2839499.html Alleged Syrian Tank Footage Offers Glimpse Into Devastation In Darayya (Video)], The Huffington Post (8 March 2013).{{cite web|date=2019-09-04|title=Russian Media In Syria: Organized Propaganda Breaking The Censorship Scissors|url=https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2019/09/russian-media-in-syria-organized-propaganda-breaking-the-censorship-scissors/|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Enab Baladi}} It has been known for publishing footage recorded directly from Syrian Army tanks.{{cite web|author=Robert Mackey|date=8 March 2013|title=Russians Bring Dashcam War Reporting to Syria|url=https://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/08/russians-bring-dashcam-war-reporting-to-syria|work=The New York Times}} In January 2013, a Russian judge and a former military intelligence officer Sergey Berezhnoy survived being shot while accompanying ANNA crew in the Damascus suburb of Darayya, Syria.{{Cite web|last=Kelley|first=Michael B.|date=2013-02-01|title=Russian Judge Goes On Vacation To Syria's Front Lines, Gets Shot In The Face|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-judge-shot-in-syria-2013-2|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Business Insider}}{{Cite web|last1=Mackey|first1=Robert|last2=Barry|first2=Ellen|author-link2=Ellen Barry (journalist)|date=2013-01-31|title=Vacation on Syria's Front Lines Goes Wrong for Russian Judge|url=https://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/vacation-on-syrias-front-lines-goes-wrong-for-russian-judge/|access-date=2021-07-05|website=The New York Times}} Berezhnoy said that he participated in the coverage of the military operation in Syria as a writer.{{Cite web|date=2013-02-22|title=Sergey Berezhnoy: I was in Syria as a writer|url=https://www.belnovosti.ru/proisshestviya/chp/11329.html|access-date=2013-02-22|website=Belnovosti}} According to a 2018 publication from the Moscow Psychological and Social University, ANNA News works with officers of the information confrontation group of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria.{{Cite journal|last1=Dudulin|first1=Vasily|last2=Savchenko|first2=Igor|date=2018|title=Особенности применения сил и средств информационно-психологического воздействия в ходе гибридных войн|trans-title=Features of the use of forces and means of information and psychological impact in the course of hybrid wars|url=https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35020586|journal=Мир Образования – Образование В Мире|volume=1|language=ru|issue=69|pages=92|issn=2073-8536|via=eLibrary.ru}}

File:Helen Krasovskaya with latest news of Novorossia, Aug 9, 2014.jpg, 9 August 2014 (at background a title "South-Eastern Front")]]

ANNA journalists were also embedded with Russian-backed separatists fighting the Government of Ukraine since 2014.{{cite web | title=Russian TV Inadvertently Demonstrates MH17 Wasn't Shot Down by Aircraft Cannon Fire | website=bellingcat | date=2014-10-11 | url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2014/10/11/russian-tv-inadvertently-demonstrates-mh17-wasnt-shot-down-by-aircraft-cannon-fire/ | access-date=2021-09-22}}{{cite web | title=Summary of attacks on media | website=RSF | date=2015-08-31 | url=https://rsf.org/en/news/summary-attacks-media | access-date=2021-09-22}}

In May 2020, ANNA News was banned from YouTube for violating its terms of service.{{cite web | author=Elise Thomas|title=The Long Tail of Influence Operations: A Case Study on News Front | website=Institute for Strategic Dialogue | date=2021-03-28 | url=https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/the-long-tail-of-influence-operations-a-case-study-on-news-front/ | access-date=2021-09-22}}{{Cite web |last1=Kuznets |first1=Dmitry |last2=Kolomychenko |first2=Maria |last3=Kovalev |first3=Alexey |author-link3=Alexey Kovalev (journalist) |date=2020-11-20 |others=Translated by Eilish Hart |title=To block or not to block: Will Roskomnadzor actually restrict access to major sites like YouTube for 'censoring' Russian content? |url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2020/11/20/to-block-or-not-to-block |access-date=2021-02-02 |website=Meduza}}{{cite web | title=Facebook removes Russian propaganda outlet in Ukraine | website=DFRLab | date=2020-05-09 | url=https://medium.com/dfrlab/facebook-removes-propaganda-outlets-linked-to-russian-security-services-51fbe2f6b841 | access-date=2021-09-22}}{{Cite web|date=2020-05-20|title=YouTube заблокировал каналы ANNA‑News, News Front и "Крым 24"|trans-title=YouTube has blocked channels ANNA-News, News Front and Crimea 24|url=https://zona.media/news/2020/05/20/youtube|access-date=2021-02-02|website=MediaZona|language=ru}}{{Cite web|url=https://ukrainetoday.org/2020/05/20/youtube-has-removed-three-russian-propaganda-channels/|title=YouTube has removed three Russian propaganda channels|website=Ukraine Today|date=20 May 2020}} It was revealed that employees of ANNA also worked for Russian propaganda websites NewsFront and SouthFront,{{Cite web|date=2020-05-05|title=Atlantic Council's DFRLab independent analysis of networks removed by Facebook in Russia, Georgia, and Myanmar|url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/press-releases/atlantic-councils-dfrlab-independent-analysis-of-networks-removed-by-facebook-in-russia-georgia-and-myanmar/|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Atlantic Council}} and that NewsFront had raised money for ANNA in 2014. Both ANNA News and SouthFront support separatist forces in Ukraine.{{Cite web|date=2015-06-19|title=Summary of attacks on media|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/558a6a5c409.html|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Refworld.org|publisher=Reporters Without Borders}}{{Cite web|date=2017-09-06|title=Separatists in east Ukraine 'sentence' blogger to 14 years in captivity|url=https://cpj.org/2017/09/separatists-in-east-ukraine-sentence-blogger-to-14/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Committee to Protect Journalists}}{{Cite web|date=2016-02-05|title=Russia and the Separatists in Eastern Ukraine|url=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/56b843194.pdf|access-date=2021-09-13|website=Refworld.org|page=6|publication-place=Kyiv/Brussels}} In August 2021, president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, based on the decision of the National Security and Defence Council, signed a decree "on the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures" against ANNA News. The decision ordered the web resources of the news agency to be blocked.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-23|title=Zelensky ordered to block web resources of Rostelecom and other Russian companies|url=https://en.newizv.ru/news/world/23-08-2021/zelensky-ordered-to-block-web-resources-of-rostelecom-and-other-russian-companies|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Novye Izvestia}}{{Cite web|last=Venkina|first=Ekaterina|date=2021-08-23|title=Зеленский подписал указ о блокировке "Ростелекома"|trans-title=Zelensky signed a decree to block Rostelecom|url=https://www.dw.com/ru/zelenskij-podpisal-ukaz-o-blokirovke-rostelekoma/a-58953877|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Deutsche Welle|language=ru}}

According to U.S. intelligence officer T. S. Allen, Pascal Andresen and the Ukrainian magazine Political Life, it is engaged in influence operations and is a propaganda tool.{{Cite journal|last1=Allen|first1=T.S.|last2=Moore|first2=A.J.|year=2018|title=Victory without Casualties: Russia's Information Operations|url=http://www.index-investor.com/resources/Research-Materials/Russia/Russian_Info_Operations.pdf|journal=Parameters 48|volume=1|pages=67}}{{Cite journal|last=Andresen|first=Pascal|date=2015|title=Kapitel 8 Im Kampf unterm Kreuz – Zur Rolle und Bedeutung christlicher Milizen im Syrienkonflikt|trans-title=Chapter 8 In the fight under the cross – On the role and importance of Christian militias in the Syrian conflict|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24916731|journal=Jahrbuch Terrorismus|language=de|publisher=Verlag Barbara Budrich|volume=7|pages=142|jstor=24916731|issn=2512-6040}}{{Cite journal|last=Hunin|first=V. Ye.|date=2020|title=Problems of ensuring the security of competitive intelligence activities in the context of an aggravation of information and psychological confrontation|url=https://jpl.donnu.edu.ua/article/view/9321|language=uk|journal=Donetsk National University|issue=3|pages=78–85|doi=10.31558/2519-2949.2020.3.10|issn=2519-2949|eissn=2519-2957|doi-access=free}} According to The Moscow Times newspaper, it has a 'forceful pro-Assad slant.' Professor of Arabic language and civilisation Stéphane Valter writes that the way the news agency diffuse their images "clearly indicates a bias in favour of the Syrian regime."{{Cite book|last=Valter|first=Stéphane|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1031340162|title=The Syrian Uprising : Domestic Origins and Early Trajectory.|date=2018|publisher=Routledge|year=2018|isbn=978-1-351-38760-6|editor-last=Hinnebusch|editor-first=Raymond|location=Milton|oclc=1031340162|editor-last2=Imady|editor-first2=Omar|editor-link2=Omar Imady}}

In June 2014, ANNA News falsely claimed that political advisor Jen Psaki had been fired from the US State Department.{{Cite news|last=Mackey|first=Robert|date=2014-06-07|title=Russian State Media Focuses Attacks on Kerry's Spokeswoman|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/world/europe/russian-news-media-amplifies-attacks-on-kerrys-spokeswoman.html|access-date=2021-02-02|issn=0362-4331|quote=Among the Russian accounts promoting the idea that Ms. Psaki had lost her job was that of ANNA, an obscure news agency based in Abkhazia ...}} In the fall of 2014, the agency published a fake photo of several dead people who were allegedly killed by the Ukrainian authorities.{{Cite journal|last=Blyzniuk|first=Andriy|date=2015|title=Пропаганда та контрпропаганда в умовах сучасної гібридної війни|trans-title=Propaganda and counterpropaganda in terms of the modern hybrid war|url=http://irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/cgi-bin/irbis_nbuv/cgiirbis_64.exe?C21COM=2&I21DBN=UJRN&P21DBN=UJRN&IMAGE_FILE_DOWNLOAD=1&Image_file_name=PDF/Nzizh_2015_60_9.pdf|journal=Scientific Notes of the Institute of Journalism|language=uk|issue=60|pages=52|via=Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine}}

On 5 January 2017, ANNA News falsely claimed that the jihadist organisation Al-Nusra Front, which fought against the Syrian authorities, calls the White Helmets volunteer organisation "soldiers of the revolution".{{Cite web|date=2018-05-11|title=White Helmets collaborating with terrorists? We sort fact from fiction (Part 2)|url=https://observers.france24.com/en/20180511-white-helmets-syria-fact-fiction-debunking|access-date=2021-09-23|website=France 24}}

In February 2017, ANNA News claimed that Ukraine was the source of a leak of radioactive iodine-131. The news agency did not provide any evidence.{{Cite web|last=Nilsen|first=Thomas|author-link=Thomas Nilsen|date=2017-03-09|title=Russian state news agency misuses Barents Observer in fake news story|url=https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/civil-society-and-media/2017/03/russian-state-news-agency-misuses-barents-observer-fake-news-story|access-date=2021-09-14|website=The Independent Barents Observer}}{{Cite web|last=Romanyuk|first=Vika|date=2017-03-05|title=Fake: Europe Accuses Ukraine of Increasing Radioactivity|url=https://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-europe-accuses-ukraine-of-increasing-radioactivity/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=StopFake}}{{Cite web|last1=Nayyem|first1=Mustafa|author-link=Mustafa Nayyem|last2=Zalishchuk|first2=Svitlana|author-link2=Svitlana Zalishchuk|date=2017-03-29|title=Statement of Mustafa Nayyem and Svitlana Zalishchuk Members of the Parliament of Ukraine before the Subcommittee on Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the Senate Committee on Appropriations|url=https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/032917-Nayyem-Zalishchuk-Outside-Witness-Testimony.pdf|access-date=2021-09-13|website=United States Senate Committee on Appropriations}}

In late 2017, ANNA News journalist Oleg Blokhin based in Syria created staged photos to substantiate the existence of a fake private military company Turan.{{Cite journal|last=Marten|first=Kimberly|author-link=Kimberly Marten|date=2019-05-04|title=Russia's use of semi-state security forces: the case of the Wagner Group|journal=Post-Soviet Affairs|volume=35|issue=3|pages=181–204|doi=10.1080/1060586X.2019.1591142|issn=1060-586X|doi-access=free|quote=The existence of at least one Russian PMC seems to have been completely fabricated, for unknown reasons. Ruslan Leviev of the Conflict Intelligence Team (a group that describes itself as conducting open-source, devil’s advocate, big-data intelligence on Russia’s wars in Ukraine and Syria), demonstrated through comparative photographic evidence that the group, “Turan,” a supposed Muslim Russian PMC in Syria, was fake. A different “journalist,” Oleg Blokhin of two pro-Russian-state news organizations (the Abkhazian Network News Agency, http://anna-news.info/about/, and Russian Spring, http://rusvesna.su/about), who “broke” the news about Turan, actually created an elaborate photo-shopped hoax, starring himself and a colleague in combat fatigues. Several Russian newspapers had written about Turan as if it were real (Bukkvoll and Østensen 2018).}}{{Cite web|date=2018-01-09|title=Частную компанию "Туран", воюющую в Сирии, выдумал журналист: расследование Conflict Intelligence Team|trans-title=The private company "Turan", fighting in Syria, was made up by a journalist: an investigation by the Conflict Intelligence Team|url=https://meduza.io/feature/2018/01/09/chastnuyu-kompaniyu-turan-voyuyuschuyu-v-sirii-vydumal-zhurnalist-rassledovanie-conflict-intelligence-team|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meduza|language=ru}}{{Cite web|last=Krutov|first=Mark|date=2018-01-09|title=Россиянин в Сирии. Сам себе ЧВК|trans-title=Russian in Syria. Own PMC|url=https://ru.krymr.com/a/28964650.html|access-date=2021-07-05|website=ru.krymr.com|language=ru}} After it was discovered that the photos were fake, ANNA removed all of Blokhin materials from its website.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-09|title=Частную компанию "Туран", воюющую в Сирии, выдумал журналист: расследование Conflict Intelligence Team|trans-title=The private company "Turan", fighting in Syria, was made up by a journalist: an investigation by the Conflict Intelligence Team|url=https://meduza.io/feature/2018/01/09/chastnuyu-kompaniyu-turan-voyuyuschuyu-v-sirii-vydumal-zhurnalist-rassledovanie-conflict-intelligence-team|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meduza|language=ru|quote=Soon after the publication of the CIT investigation, ANNA News began removing Oleg Blokhin's materials from its website. Meanwhile, Znak.com contacted Blokhin, and he called the investigation into the Turan PMC "fake and delusional." “Why, in principle, the appearance of Turan was associated with me, I do not know. The investigation is based only on some gossip and guesswork ... I would advise those people who are engaged in such investigations to carefully check the information and not speculate on assumptions. Because the output may turn out to be such a fake, nonsense, ”he said. }} Oleg Blokhin categorically rejected the claims of Russian research group Conflict Intelligence Team that the PMC Turan, fighting in Syria, is a fiction created by him.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-09|title=Журналист Олег Блохин назвал фейком информацию о придуманной им ЧВК, воюющей в Сирии|trans-title=Journalist Oleg Blokhin called the information about the PMC fighting in Syria invented by him fake|url=https://www.znak.com/2018-01-09/zhurnalist_oleg_blohin_nazval_feykom_informaciyu_o_pridumannoy_im_chvk_voyuyuchey_v_sirii|access-date=2018-01-09|quote= ... Расследование [CIT] основано только на каких-то сплетнях и догадках. Якобы я похож на человека в униформе с шевроном этой ЧВК. Ну и что? Потом там показан неизвестный человек возле БТРа, у которого замазано лицо. И по этому фото тоже делаются какие-то выводы, но не представлено никаких более-менее конкретных фактов. А то, что якобы проводимые операции „ЧВК Туран“ проходили в тех местах Сирии, где был я… Ну что ж, я могу сказать только одно: я был в Сирии везде.|website=Znak.com|language=ru}} He also mentioned that neither he nor ANNA News have ever released information about "Turan", since he doesn't comment on information of any Russian units in Syria at all.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-09|title=CIT назвала мистификацией «спецназ СССР» в Сирии|trans-title=CIT called the "USSR Special Forces" in Syria a hoax|url=https://www.rbc.ru/politics/09/01/2018/5a5334bb9a7947846224c60d|access-date=2018-01-09|quote=Ни от меня, ни от ANNA News никогда в жизни не выходила информация о «Туране». Я не комментирую вообще [информацию, которая] касается каких-либо российских подразделений в Сирии. Что касается фотографии с Калашниковым, непонятно, о чем она говорит и при чем здесь ЧВК «Туран» ...|website=RBC|language=ru}}

• Internet Research Agency
• Apsnypress

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• {{Official website}}

Category:2011 establishments in Abkhazia

Category:Organizations established in 2011

Category:Organizations of the Russo-Ukrainian War

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