Leaked documents revealed a Russian disinformation campaign against the Milei Government

A series of leaked documents exposed serious disinformation and political influence operations carried out by Russian agents of the Government of Vladimir Putin in Argentina since the first months of Javier Milei's administration.

The information comes from an analysis carried out by an international consortium of seven media outlets, including The Continent and OpenDemocracy, together with other news organizations, based on leaked documents.

According to the files, the maneuvers began shortly after Milei was sworn in in December 2023. The President, identified in the report as an emerging figure of the global right, adopted from the start an alignment with the United States, including his support for Ukraine in the war with Russia

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Internally, he promoted an adjustment program identified with the “chainsaw” and a confrontational discourse towards his left-wing opponents.

“The Company”

In this context, the documents indicate the actions of a structure known as “The Company”, linked to Russia's foreign intelligence services

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In 2024, this entity deployed a series of propaganda operations in more than 20 countries in Africa and South America, including Argentina. The objective was to take advantage of the climate of political and social polarization to amplify tensions

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The documents include records of rates ranging from $350 to $3,100 per item, although it could not be confirmed if those payments were made or who the recipients were

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The content released consisted mostly of critiques of the Milei Government's economic plan, the social impact of fiscal adjustment and diplomatic tensions with other countries.

In several cases, the articles, unsigned and published in recognized media in Argentina, included positions favorable to Russia and against the United States, in addition to distortions, exaggerations and false news.

The documents also reflect additional expenses of 343,000 dollars earmarked for information-gathering and operational organization tasks.

Finally, media expert Martín Becerra linked these practices to a broader logic: “The Wagner Group, and in general, Putin's disinformation and intelligence activities consist of creating chaos and disorder, creating a landscape of discrediting institutions that have been legitimized in the past, including media and journalists.” As he explained, the objective is to “fish in a rough river”.