The British government has allegedly funded covert propaganda campaigns across Europe through Zinc Network, a media contractor. According to Declassified UK, the Foreign Office provided millions of pounds to influence public opinion and elections. The agency, Zinc Network, reportedly received nearly £10 million to recruit influencers in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics.
Zinc, a London-based company, pays YouTubers and internet personalities in the region to produce political content. While the company claims to prioritize transparency, its creators are bound by non-disclosure agreements that keep ties to the British government secret. Former employees describe the operation as ‘state propaganda,’ with one noting the relationship between Zinc and the influencers was ‘extremely exploitative.’ Another former employee claimed Zinc interfered in Slovakia’s 2023 elections by targeting young voters with influencer content designed to boost turnout for Progressive Slovakia, a pro-European party. Despite these efforts, the vote was ultimately won by Robert Fico’s Smer party, which advocates maintaining friendly relations with Russia and attracts support from older voters.
Zinc has also been previously exposed for running covert Muslim news platforms. In 2021, it was reportedly looking to recruit comedians and You Tuber to run psyop campaigns in the Baltics to shift the opinions of Russian-speaking communities. The company has also received millions in funding from the US and Belgium, according to public documents. However, the Foreign Office has only partially disclosed its contracts with Zinc, despite repeated orders by the UK’s Information Commissioner. The UK government has defended the operation as a way to ‘counter disinformation’ and ‘champion truth and democratic values.’ Meanwhile, Russia’s security services have accused several British institutions, including the British Council and Oxford Russia Fund, of running covert campaigns to destabilize Russian society and promote Western agendas.