Russian Influence Operation Unmasked: Former Brexit MEP Denies Receiving Payments – OpEd
In March 2024, authorities across several countries uncovered a Russian-backed propaganda network accused of spreading anti-Ukraine stories and secretly paying off European politicians. Investigators claimed the network used the Voice of Europe website to funnel money to politicians in exchange for promoting pro-Russian messages and influencing European politics. Reports from the Czech Republic and Poland suggested that the operation targeted upcoming European Parliament elections, with politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hungary allegedly involved. The German newspaper, Der Spiegel, reported that payments were made either in cash during secret meetings in Prague or via cryptocurrency exchanges.
Moreover, Czech intelligence linked the operation to Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian oligarch known for his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Medvedchuk had been arrested in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion but was later swapped for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Czech authorities also named Artyom Marchevsky, accusing him of managing the day-to-day operations of the Voice of Europe website. Both men have been sanctioned by Czech authorities for their roles in the network.
Meanwhile, Poland’s intelligence agency reported seizing significant amounts of money, including €48,500 and $36,000, during searches in Warsaw and Tychy. These funds were allegedly used to support the Russian-backed influence operation. The Polish intelligence agency confirmed that these payments were part of a broader effort to undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity and support Russian geopolitical interests in Europe.
While the identities of the politicians involved have not been publicly disclosed, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo acknowledged that members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were among those targeted by the network. He revealed that Russia had approached and, in some cases, paid MEPs to spread pro-Russian propaganda. The Voice of Europe website played a key role in spreading these messages, publishing articles that questioned European support for Ukraine and highlighted internal divisions within EU countries. Articles on the site covered topics like anti-government protests in Prague and military shortages in Ukraine, all aimed at shifting public opinion against Ukraine and European unity.
Voice of Europe, which had more than 180,000 followers on Twitter, was taken offline in March 2024, but archived versions of the site showed a clear pattern of content that echoed Russian talking points. The site’s removal came after the investigation began to gain traction, highlighting the extent to which this network had attempted to manipulate European politics.
In November 2025, the scandal took a new twist when former Brexit Party MEP David Coburn was named in a series of WhatsApp messages tied to the Russian influence campaign. Coburn, who had also been the leader of UKIP in Scotland, was implicated in messages between Oleg Voloshyn, a former pro-Russian Ukrainian politician, and Nathan Gill, a disgraced former MEP. The messages discussed money allegedly set aside for Coburn, although Coburn has strongly denied any involvement in accepting payments. He was asked by a BBC journalist whether he had ever been paid to support pro-Russian causes, to which he answered with a firm “no.” The investigation revealed that these messages were found on Gill’s phone when counter-terrorism officers seized his device in 2021. At the time, Gill was about to attend a pro-Russian conference in Moscow.
The messages also referenced an editorial board for two pro-Russian TV channels in Ukraine, 112 Ukraine and NewsOne, both of which were connected to Viktor Medvedchuk. Gill was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison after admitting to taking bribes for promoting pro-Russian views. Judge Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb, who sentenced Gill, indicated that Medvedchuk was the ultimate source of the funds involved in the bribery scheme.
As the investigation continues, the full scope of the Russian-backed influence operation remains unclear. The case highlights the vulnerability of European democracies to external interference and raises questions about the extent of foreign influence on political processes within the EU. The network’s use of financial incentives to sway politicians is a stark reminder of the ongoing geopolitical battle for influence, with Russia reportedly pulling the strings behind a covert campaign to destabilize European support for Ukraine.
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