Vatnik Soup – the Ultimate Guide to Russian Disinformation

In this exclusive Kyiv Post interview, Dr. Pekka Kallioniemi – Finnish disinformation expert and creator of the viral “Vatnik Soup” series – reveals how Russia is waging a global war without bullets.

As Ukraine strikes deep inside Russian territory, the Kremlin is fighting back in a different arena: our minds. From local “peace” movements to populist calls to “bring tax dollars home,” Russia seeds narratives that weaken NATO unity and block aid to Ukraine – without the public ever realizing who benefits.

This isn’t abstract theory. It’s a playbook. And the West is dangerously behind, the expert argues. Kallioniemi breaks down the Kremlin’s evolving tactics – how they target domestic divisions in the US, Germany, and beyond; how social media platforms are manipulated at scale; and why the information front may determine the outcome of this war.

If Ukraine is winning the military fight, Russia is betting it can still win the political one – by hijacking public opinion.