Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 01 September: Intelligence Services of the Czech Republic accuses Russia of waging information war in the Czech Republic

The Czech intelligence agency, Security Information Service (BIS), published an annual report. According to the report, in 2015 the Chinese and Russian counterintelligence services were the most active in the Czech Republic. The report states that while Chinese intelligence services are mainly interested in extending influence in politics and economy, Russian intelligence services wage an information war. The information campaign primarily focuses on the Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts, but also tries to weaken the Czech Republic – EU and the Czech Republic- NATO relationship.

The BIS also warns of the long-term effects of the Russian information war: as long as the infrastructure is created, it could be used for manipulating any information, not only regarding the Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts.

Besides the activities in the information war, the BIS has revealed that right-wing extremists in the Czech Republic have started to express overt pro-Russian stances which could be a sign that the Russian intelligence services are building a network of local propaganda agents.

Comparing the number of employees at the Embassies in the Czech Republic, the Russian Embassy even outmatches the US and China Embassies.