Russian State Media Using Clips From Fox News' Tucker Carlson to further Kremlin Propaganda on Ukraine Invasion
The Fox News Host Tucker Carlson has been consistently trumpeting Russian propaganda about the Ukraine invasion. Russian State Media is now highlighting clips from Carlson’s show to further deepen the disinformation and propaganda surrounding Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Tucker Carlson A Regular on Russian News
Mother Jones recently intercepted memos from the Kremlin directing Russian media outlets to use clips of Fox News Host Tucker Carlson on their shows to bolster the Russian narrative as Carlson continues to use his platform to attack the United Nations, NATO, and its allies.
NBC’s Correspondent Raf Sanchez tweeted videos of Russian television networks playing clips from Carlson’s show. One of the prominently featured sound bites of Carlson’s show questions the sovereignty of Ukraine, a conspiracy that has been echoed by Putin and his allies. "Is Ukraine really a sovereign country?" Carlson asked the audience of his show.
Tucker Carlson on Fox News.
The Kremlin seems to have found a potent propagandist machine in Carlson who continues to use his prime time show on Fox to spread disinformation about the Ukraine invasion. Not only has he questioned Ukraine’s Sovereignty, Carlson promoted Putin’s comment about Ukraine not being a democracy.
Wladimir Klitschko, a champion boxer and Kyiv's mayor's brother who recently joined the Ukrainian military, said Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens 'are part of this invasion,' citing their vocal opposition to helping Ukraine. Wladimir Klitschko told Newsmax that anyone who opposed helping Ukraine is "part of this invasion."
Carlson Spreading Russian Fake News in USA
Carlson recently twisted the testimony of the US Under Secretary of State to support the Russian-driven conspiracy that the US is supporting bioweapons labs in Ukraine.
The US Under Secretary of State testified that the United States supports Ukrainian biological research facilities which are institutions for scientific research to achieve scientific breakthroughs like the production of vaccines that combat major diseases.
Carlson misrepresented this testimony as proof that the United States was developing bioweapons in Ukraine, despite several fact checkers and independent analysts disproving his claims.
Russian State TV featured Carlson’s take the next day, making false claims about bioweapon labs in the Ukraine.
Other Americans have responded by calling the Russian conspiracy “straight out of the old Soviet playbook. But that doesn’t mean prominent commentators like Carlson should be so quick to fall for it.”
Other Americans Feeding into Russian Disinformation
Russian State TV also played clips of Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “thug” and his country as “incredibly evil”. Cawthorn’s comments were similar to an earlier statement made by Former President Trump hailing Putin for the Ukraine invasion contrary to the bipartisan support the United States and its allies have offered Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
Just as Carlson has been widely criticized for highlighting Russian propaganda, Cawthorn has been condemned by top Republican Senators for his comments. "Like 90% of the country is with Ukrainians and is opposed to Putin," added South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. "So when you see a member of Congress say things like this, the one thing I want you to know: they're outliers."
Note: The Kremlin has shut down the majority of all private owned media and blocked access to BBC Russia, Radio Liberty and Latvia-based Meduza and other international media networks in a bid to continue to use only state run media to further propagate propaganda and misinformation about the Ukraine invasion.