Russia Expands

Russia has announced the expansion of its 'Russian House' network to ten countries worldwide. According to Yevgeny Chaika, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, a state institution responsible for promoting Russian influence abroad, the new centers will be set up on the basis of existing local organizations, such as NGOs, cultural centers, and universities.

The largest number of new centers, eight out of eleven, are planned to open in Africa. The list also includes Armenia and Thailand. This expansion is seen as a deliberate loophole by the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, which aims to minimize the risk of governments refusing and allow operation within local legislation without concluding formal intergovernmental agreements.

The new 'Russian Houses' will be tools of Russian hybrid influence disguised as cultural exchange. As more states become aware of this real threat, some countries are deliberately closing or restricting their activity to protect national security. Russia is also expanding its sanctions-evasion tools by routing part of its international transactions through crypto-payment channels via African countries.