Russian House, Moscow’s Global Propaganda Machine Disguised as a Humanitarian Organization

Russian House, Moscow’s Global Propaganda Machine Disguised as a Humanitarian Organization by Jess Daly | United24 Media

Sanctioned but still active, the Kremlin’s so-called “cultural humanitarian organization”—Russian House—remains a key tool of Moscow’s political subversion. Operating worldwide, it serves as a front for espionage, propaganda, and soft power, using art, culture, and educational programs to promote the “Russian world” while undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.

Global intelligence networks have long recognized cultural institutions as vectors of geopolitical influence, but few exemplify this strategy as comprehensively as Russia’s Rossotrudnichestvo (links to the Library of Congress). The state-sponsored organization operates a global network of cultural centers that serve as instruments of hybrid warfare by strategically deploying soft power tactics to propagate Kremlin narratives. This agency spans 71 countries and systematically shapes international perceptions through targeted educational programs, youth exchanges, film screenings, and scholarship initiatives while providing covert logistical support for Russian intelligence operations. Recent investigations reveal the organization’s multifaceted approach to propaganda, including organizing pro-Kremlin rallies, screening politically charged documentaries, and establishing networks among international students and state officials. Despite facing sanctions and increasing international scrutiny, Rossotrudnichestvo continues to expand its global reach, demonstrating the Kremlin’s persistent commitment to information warfare and strategic influence beyond traditional diplomatic channels.

Read the full article for a deeper dive into Rossotrudnichestvo.

More on this subject:

• Rossotrudnichestvo: The Unbearable Harshness of Soft Power Prepared by the Information & Analytics department of the Ukrainian Institute | Nadiia Koval, Maryna Irysova, Serhiy Tytiuk, Denys Tereshchenko
• Hiding in plain sight — how Russia’s cultural centers continue to operate in US, Europe despite espionage claims by Linda Hourani | Kyiv Independent
• Rossotrudnichestvo in Africa: Propaganda and Soft Power by Dr. Ivan U. Klyszcz, ICDS Research Fellow | EU vs Disinfo
• Academic Diplomacy: The Educational Aspects of Chinese and Russian Soft Power in Tajikistan by Tuychi Rashidov,Parviz Mullojonov, Umayra Rashidova and Edward Lemon | Cambridge University Press
• Russia as an alternative model. Geopolitical representations and Russia’s public diplomacy – the case of Rossotrudnichestvo by Sirke Melina Mäkinen |Eurasia 2.0 : Russian Geopolitics in the Age of New Media (pp. 101-121). Article 6
• Find the Rossotrudnichestvo Youtube Channel here.