War in Ukraine: The Global Impact

Simona Kralova

Simona Kralova reports on our first in-person customer event since the pandemic.

Since 24 February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a key focus for BBCM. At a customer event on 6 December chaired by BBC Correspondent Paul Adams, eight BBC Monitoring experts delivered their take on the global effect of the Ukraine war.

Russia editor Vitaliy Shevchenko, who has roots in eastern Ukraine, spoke of the challenges of reporting war at home. He also gave a moving tribute to all of his colleagues affected by the conflict.

Francis Scarr, a Russia specialist who has been tracking the narratives on Russian TV, spoke about what it is like to monitor Kremlin propaganda for a living. Russian channels have been broadcasting non-stop propaganda panel shows which seek to present war in Ukraine as a “Washington-led Western provocation”.

Disinformation specialist Olga Robinson spoke about how her team had approached the disinformation war that has been raging online since day one of the invasion. A native Russian speaker, Olga has spent the last decade observing and reporting on propaganda and disinformation in Russian media.

Much was made of China’s declaration that its friendship with Russia had “no limits”. But no major nation has so far rallied behind Russia, not even China, which just days before the invasion vowed an “unbreakable” bond with President Vladimir Putin.

China specialist Ankur Shah explained how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine challenged Beijing’s messaging at home.

Middle East expert Hicham Yezza spoke of the key themes shaping official and media reactions to the war in North Africa. He also reviewed Europe’s efforts to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, the impact on Russia’s political and military ties in the region, and the challenges facing Western narratives around the war.

Middle East specialist Amira Fathalla took the audience through reactions from the Gulf region and how these may herald shifts in geopolitical alignment.

Kia Atri, an Iran specialist, highlighted the impact of the war on Tehran’s relationship with Moscow. Tehran has made cautious attempts to show its political support for Moscow and is seeking to benefit from the resulting trade and security opportunities.

African analyst Beverly Ochieng said Moscow was taking advantage of Africa’s ambivalence over the war and increasing its footprint in Africa to undermine Western presence there. This is particularly the case in unstable states, many of which are reluctant to pick sides. Africa’s historic roots with the former USSR underpinned its position on the conflict. In the face of a global food crisis, African leaders are desperately seeking practical solutions.

The presentations were followed by a lively Q&A session, expertly chaired by Paul Adams.

Olga Robinson speaks about disinformation

BBC MONITORING

Simona Kralova leads our Planning and Impact team and produced the 6 December event