The use of disinformation servers as an instrument of the Russian foreign propaganda: Example of Sputnik Česká republika

There is a rapid growth of the so-called alternative media all over the world and it weakens the role of traditional media. Today’s reader is instantly overwhelmed by diverse information which is difficult to orient in. Different manipulative techniques are now easier to employ via mass media thus permitting disinformation to become one of the instruments of foreign policy. This thesis introduces the fundamental state of the art on the subject of disinformation and disinformation websites. The empirical part is dedicated to the analysis of a disinformation website called Sputnik Česká republika. The main research question asks whether Russia uses this server for its foreign policy propaganda and if yes, what are the instruments. The research based on quantitative and qualitative analyses of the articles published by Sputnik in the section SVĚT (tranls. WORLD) during January, year 2020, found that Sputnik uses the typical instruments of disinformation websites. Moreover, it forms an image of the USA as a country ruled by chaos on a contrary to Russia, which is in a state of order. Very important seems to be the conclusion that Sputnik depicts the world as bipolar, influenced by the US-Russian competition as it was during the Cold War. Nowadays however, it is Russia that - according to Sputnik - wins over the US (especially in the area of military technology). Therefore Russia’s attempts to gain back the position of a superpower are being legitimized in the eyes of the Czech public.