New reporting has emerged regarding the brutal attack on Alexei Navalny's chief of staff, Leonid Volkov, who was assaulted with a hammer in his home in Lithuania. Volkov was left with a swollen face and a leg covered in blood. An investigative reporter revealed that a Russian-linked extremist group, known as the male battalion, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group released footage suggesting surveillance of Volkov prior to the assault, which was authenticated as real and geolocated to an airport in Vilnius.
The reporter highlighted the increasing trend of Russian intelligence services co-opting organized crime and extremist groups to carry out operations on their behalf. This tactic, previously observed in the murder of Alexei Navalny, involves tracking and photographing targets for weeks in advance. Due to heightened awareness and restrictions on Russian agents traveling abroad, these services are now outsourcing more operations to criminal groups.
Furthermore, the reporter's team uncovered a disinformation campaign targeting Navalny's wife, Yulia, aimed at discrediting her before Navalny's murder. False claims, such as a video alleging a bribe paid to a former Ukrainian General, were circulated to undermine the reporter's credibility. This disinformation strategy reflects the intelligence services' attempts to manipulate public opinion and sow distrust in opposition figures.
In response to these developments, the reporter emphasized the urgent need to recognize and counter these disinformation tactics. By exploiting trusted figures and fabricating false narratives, Russian intelligence services seek to deceive and manipulate public perception. The reporter warned against falling prey to fraudulent information and urged vigilance in discerning truth from propaganda.
