Ukrainians Abroad vs Russian Propaganda: How Ukrainian Communities Can Counter the Aggressor’s Cultural Influence
LingvaLexa, together with ANTS – National Interests Advocacy Network and Lumen Justice, held an online training for Ukrainian communities abroad on countering Russian cultural influence through law, evidence and advocacy.
Russia’s cultural influence extends far beyond news and social media. It travels through concert tours, international sports competitions, streaming platforms and athletes competing under “neutral” flags, often accompanied by the familiar claim that art and sport are “outside politics”. The training explored why this argument does not hold up and how the Ukrainian diaspora can respond with evidence-based advocacy.
What we covered:
🔹 Propaganda as a legal issue. Anna Vyshniakova, Head of LingvaLexa, explained how we document propaganda, analyse it under international law and turn our findings into materials that public authorities, digital platforms and international bodies can act on.
🔹From documentation to sanctions. Alina Horb, Head of Lumen Justice, walked participants through real cases of Russian cultural figures supporting the aggression, including the ECtHR decision in Kirkorov v. Lithuania. She explained how properly documented facts can be used both in criminal proceedings and to substantiate sanctions, why Ukrainian sanctions do not automatically apply in the EU, and how platforms such as YouTube and Spotify respond to such cases.
🔹 “Sport outside politics?” Fedir Kolosov (Lumen Justice) showed how Russia turns sport into a propaganda tool, from Putin Team to the Z symbol. He discussed the status of “neutral athletes”, how to establish an athlete’s involvement in state propaganda, and how to engage with the IOC, FIFA, UEFA and international sports federations.
The main takeaway: local advocacy backed by solid evidence can deliver tangible results. It can help secure concert cancellations, content removals and sanctions far beyond Ukraine. The Ukrainian diaspora is one of our strongest assets in this effort.
Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed such thoughtful questions, and to ANTS – National Interests Advocacy Network and Lumen Justice for a valuable partnership.
The event was organised by the NGO ANTS – National Interests Advocacy Network within the project “Voice of Ukraine Without Borders: A Platform for International Advocacy”, with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund, administered by ISAR Ednannia under the project “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy”, funded by Norway and Sweden. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of LingvaLexa and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Governments of Norway and Sweden or ISAR Ednannia.
