Marcus Kolga

Globe editorial: Iran is a new front in the fight against the authoritarian bloc There are many risks, but the U.S.-Israeli attacks could mean the end of a repressive regime allied with Putin’s Russia

Thinking of the innocent lives stolen, and the terror millions have endured in Ukraine and across the Middle East, fueled by Iran’s Shahed drones and weapons of terror. International law failed to protect them. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...

Canadian AI software could flip Russia's disinformation war on Europe A new artificial intelligence (AI) agent could equip Europe to better defend itself against the barrage of Russian disinformation attacks. Cipher is Canadian-developed AI software that has proven to ...

“Cipher is a human-in-the-loop AI agent system that requires a user to oversee the process to detect Russian disinformation campaigns in English.”

Quotes @marcuskolga.bsky.social

kyivindependent.com/canadian-ai-...

Rapid and persistent AI assisted monitoring and analysis of foreign authoritarian disinformation can enable rapid, preemptive inoculation against emerging narratives.

Great to see Canada’s Cipher AI’s capabilities highlighted by the Kyiv Independent:

kyivindependent.com/canadian-ai-...

Canadian researchers develop AI tool to fight online disinformation Researchers say artificial intelligence has helped them ramp up the fight against online disinformation meant to divide Canadians and distort perceptions of reality.

Proud to be part of a Canadian team developing an AI tool to detect and counter online disinformation. We need scalable AI to detect and counter information warfare in real time. Builds on years work at DisinfoWatch to strengthen our ability to expose + respond fast. www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/art...

Russian hits Ukraine energy sites in 'most powerful blow" so far this year The attack - which reportedly consisted of more than 70 missiles and 450 drones - comes after a so-called "energy truce" expired at the weekend.

Russia is weaponizing -20°C cold to kill civilians by destroying Ukraine’s power, heat, and water. There’s no time for expressions of concern. The West must establish a humanitarian SkyShield over Ukraine. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Moscow to MAGA: Pro-Kremlin Pravda Network Amplifying Alberta Separatism - DisinfoWatch The Pravda News Network has been identified by France’s Viginum, as the distribution platform for the Russian “Portal Kombat” disinformation operation.  The claims in this post are anchored in current...

🚨The pro-Kremlin Pravda network is amplifying false claims about Alberta separatism, including a MAGA fantasy “+2 U.S. senators” payoff. Alberta isn’t a U.S. state. Kremlin-aligned disinfo targeting Canadian unity. disinfowatch.org/disinfo/mosc...

Impose sanctions on refineries that buy Russian crude oil to end war, says Bill Browder Putin critic says plants in China, India and Turkey are funnelling up to $1bn a day to Kremlin

Eight refineries are funneling $500m–$1bn a day to Moscow by buying Russian oil. Sanction them, and Putin’s war economy collapses within six months says @billbrowder.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/business/202...

In an uncertain climate, Canada needs a civil defence corps Sweden and Estonia, among other countries, have demonstrated that democratic preparedness does not require panic

Defensive and democratic preparedness isn’t panic, it’s part of deterrence. Canada must follow the Estonian, Swedish and Finnish examples to prepare Canadians for future crisis and conflict and establish a civil defence corps. www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/a2e82d8...

These far-left pro-authoritarian extremists have no sense of irony 😂

NDP blocks Yves Engler’s wife from leadership race, calling her a proxy candidate The party’s vetting committee said Bianca Mugyenyi was ‘advancing the political vision of a rejected candidate’

Engler’s NDP candidacy was rightly rejected for “echoing ‘Russian state propaganda’” about Ukraine and NATO. “The Canadian Foreign Policy Institute” is equally active in spreading such narratives. Good move by the NDP. www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/a2e82d8...

Russian Pravda News Platform Amplifying Alberta Secessionist Events - DisinfoWatch Russia’s Pravda News Network has published what appears to be an AI generated video promoting an Alberta secessionist rally schedule for Monday, January 26, on its Russian VK social...

🚨 DisinfoWatch has identified a Russian-linked Pravda disinformation network amplifying Alberta secessionist events.
The Pravda network amplifies Kremlin narratives to stoke division and undermine Canada’s cohesion, and among allied democratic nations. disinfowatch.org/disinfo/russ...

YouTube video by CTV News Russia and Ukraine discussing peace talks in Abu Dhabi, unknown if new deal is coming

Vladimir Putin expresses Russia’s “commitment to peace” every night by bombing Ukrainian cities and terrorizing, freezing, and killing civilians — and Trump, along with his real estate agent Witkoff, is enabling it.

My two cents for CTV News last night:
youtu.be/aSKt5mt_ZVQ?...

A painfully obvious warning of the coming tsunami of MAGA- and Trump-aligned influence operations targeting Canada’s national cohesion.

Trump: "RECORD NUMBERS ALL OVER THE PLACE! SHOULD I TRY FOR A FOURTH TERM?"

So according to Nora Loreto, Chrystia Freeland is responsible for a million casualties in Ukraine.

Not Putin who invaded Ukraine and refused every call for a ceasefire.

The queen of bad takes.

A vulgar and explicit threat against Canada this morning. Canadians must prepare now to defend our nationhood and sovereignty.

Bannon claims Canada is “hostile” to the United States and "Hemispheric Defence" - DisinfoWatch In a recent podcast, close Trump associate, Steve Bannon suggested that Canada is both a threat and a “ vital national security interest” to the United States and “these people...

Donald Trump associate, Steve Bannon, claims Canada is “hostile” to the United States and central to “Hemispheric defence” — echoing a broader narrative that paints Canada as a strategic threat rather than a partner. disinfowatch.org/disinfo/bann...

RT falsely claims “CANADA WILL DECLARE WAR ON USA FOR GREENLAND — CARNEY” - DisinfoWatch A Twitter/X post on Russian state platform RT, twists Canadian PM Mark Carney’s remarks about supporting Danish/Greenland sovereignty within NATO into a false war declaration. Multiple independent rec...

RT falsely claims Canada will declare war on the US over Greenland, allegedly citing PM Mark Carney. This is entirely fabricated. Canada supports Greenland’s sovereignty through diplomacy and not war. It's designed to divide allies and incite panic. disinfowatch.org/disinfo/rt-f...

Canada at war with Russia? Why the debate has shifted from ‘if’ to ‘when’ Baltic countries offer Canada a clear blueprint for countering Russian coercion, preparing for crisis and building resilience without surrendering democratic values.

University of Regina's Dr. @brianmcquinn.bsky.social and @marcuskolga.bsky.social say that Canada, like our Baltic allies in Europe, must prepare for what is looking increasingly like an inevitability: war with Russia.

Read more in @ca.theconversation.com: bit.ly/45fI9g2

Canada at war with Russia? Why the debate has shifted from ‘if’ to ‘when’ Baltic countries offer Canada a clear blueprint for countering Russian coercion, preparing for crisis and building resilience without surrendering democratic values.

Canada must learn from Estonia + Baltic allies to prepare for Russian aggression: sabotage, airspace violations, cyberattacks, and relentless information campaigns. No longer if, but when. theconversation.com/canada-at-wa...

Chrystia Freeland and the return of a principled Canadian foreign policy Freeland’s leadership on human rights and security has made it easy to select her as MLI’s Policy-Maker of the Year, writes Marcus Kolga for Inside Policy.

Canada’s global standing is stronger and our values more respected by allies thanks to @chrystia-freeland.bsky.social Freeland's leadership. My view from 2018 still holds - principled foreign policy matters. Thank you Chrystia! macdonaldlaurier.ca/chrystia-fre...

For those keeping score, Bellingcat, The New York Times Visual Investigation Team, & Washington Post's Visual Forensic team have all published analysis showing the ICE shooter wasn't in the path of Renee Nicole Good’s vehicle when he shot her, contradicting statements by the President & his cronies

Russians carried out a massive ballistic missile and strike UAV attack on Kyiv. There are four dead and ten injured.
–Mayor Vitali Klitschko

There is widespread damage to critical infrastructure and power failures in some parts of the capital.

This attack - involving ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as countless drones - has now been going on for almost five hours…

Venezuelan security forces detain journalists as armed police patrol streets Venezuelans describe their fear of speaking out as 14 media workers are detained and police check people's social media.

The newly U.S.-approved head of the Maduro mafia regime is escalating repression, detaining journalists and intimidating citizens. Nothing “transitional” about authoritarian continuity.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Russia bans 28 Canadians, falsely branding them as “neo-Nazis - DisinfoWatch This TASS and Russian MFA statement is an overt Kremlin information op: a performative “counter-sanctions” list wrapped in a smear that Canadian NGOs and academics “promote neo-Nazism,” plus a recycle...

The Kremlin has declared travel bans on 28 Canadians, falsely labelling them as promoting “neo-Nazis” in a baseless effort to discredit and silence critics, distort history, and justify aggression. Zero evidence - 100% disinformation. disinfowatch.org/disinfo/russ...

Now do Lukashenka and Putin.

RT claims Mariupol Theatre reopens “after the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ terrorist attack.” - DisinfoWatch RT has framed the 2022 destruction of Mariupol’s Drama Theater as a “Ukrainian terrorist attack” while touting its reconstruction and repoening. Multiple independent investigations concluded Russian f...

RT says Mariupol’s theatre “reopened” after a Ukrainian attack. The truth: it was destroyed by a Russian airstrike on civilians. Kremlin disinformation doesn't need facts - it just needs a stage. 🎭 disinfowatch.org/disinfo/rt-c...

Lavrov and Russian State propagandist allege “Ukrainian attack on Putin’s residence” without evidence - DisinfoWatch RT’s cluster of stories presents an unverified alleged drone attack on a Putin residence as fact, then layers on foreign “condemnations,” Kremlin threats of a non-diplomatic response, and a conspiracy...

The Kremlin claims that Ukraine attacked Putin’s house with drones. Russia offers nothing but empty accusations: 91 drones, ZERO evidence.
disinfowatch.org/disinfo/lavr...

Unbelievable that the Globe and Mail is publishing Christopher “Putin is no villain” Westdal today. After joining the board of a Russian mining company, he became one of Canada’s most vocal Kremlin whitewashers over the past 25 years, even after 2014. ottawacitizen.com/news/putin-n...