Vatnik Soup

{{politics}}
'''Vatnik Soup''' is a [[Twitter]]-based series of threads of [[Russian]] [[Propaganda|disinformation]] actors that are compiled by Pekka Kallioniemi, a computer lecturer from Tampere University, [[Finland]].<ref>[https://researchportal.tuni.fi/fi/persons/pekka-kallioniemi Tampereen Yliopisto - Pekka Kailloniemi]</ref> The name comes from the pejorative word for a Russian [[vatnik]] which refers to the cold-weather army clothes that Russian soldiers wear, but has since recently being used to refer to supporters or [[fellow traveller]]s of [[Vladimir Putin]] or [[Ruscism]].

Since starting in 2022, Kallioniemi has compiled over 200 threads of people and organisations, mainly [[useful idiot]]s who have been distributing Russian disinformation, especially on the [[Ukraine|War in Ukraine]] on social media. Initially it was local Finnish fellow travellers including {{wpl|Johan Bäckman||,}}<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/5 Vatnik Soup - Johan Bäckman]</ref> but now including people such [[Max Blumenthal]] and [[Viktor Orbán]], and more controversially public figures seen to have soft stances towards Russia, like [[Pope Francis]].<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/31 Vatnik Soup - Viktor Orbán]</ref> It is now seen as part of the {{wpl|NAFO}} counter-disinformation network against Russian disinformation.

== Notable threads ==
*[[Andrew Anglin]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/69 Vatnik Soup - Andrew Anglin]</ref>
*[[Austria]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/95 Vatnik Soup - Austria]</ref> — The country is noted for a soft stance against Russia, for Vienna's hub as a {{wpl|Austria and Russian intelligence|centre for spies|,}} and links to major Russian corporations including Austria's main oil and gas company {{wpl|OMV}} and major financial institution {{wpl|Raiffeisen Bank International|Raiffeisen|.}} 
*[[Julian Assange]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/269/ Vatnik Soup - Julian Assange]</ref>
*[[Arron Banks]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/163 Vatnik Soup - Arron Banks]</ref>
*[[Silvio Berlusconi]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/134 Vatnik Soup - Silvio Berlusconi]</ref>
*[[Max Blumenthal]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/11 Vatnik Soup - Max Blumenthal]</ref>
*[[Tucker Carlson]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/167 Vatnik Soup - Tucker Carlson]</ref>
*Ian Miles Cheong<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/188/ Vatnik Soup - Ian Miles Cheong]</ref>
*[[Noam Chomsky]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/181 Vatnik Soup - Noam Chomsky]</ref>
*{{wpl|Kim Dotcom}}<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/159 Vatnik Soup - Kim Dotcom]</ref>
*[[Aleksandr Dugin]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/30 Vatnik Soup - Aleksandr Dugin]</ref>
*[[Michael Flynn]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/63 Vatnik Soup - Michael Flynn]</ref>
*[[Pope Francis]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/235 Vatnik Soup - Pope Francis]</ref> — Francis's relationship with Patriarch Kirill was called into question, in particular with how the pontiff did not strongly rebuke Kirill's Kremlin buddy for the mess he made
*[[Tulsi Gabbard]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/185 Vatnik Soup - Tulsi Gabbard]</ref>
*[[George Galloway]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/76 Vatnik Soup - George Galloway]</ref>
*[[Marjorie Taylor Greene]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/64 Vatnik Soup - Marjorie Taylor Greene]</ref>
*[[Glenn Greenwald]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/105 Vatnik Soup - Glenn Greenwald]</ref>
*[[Jackson Hinkle]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/113 Vatnik Soup - Jackson Hinkle]</ref>
*LEVELI<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/4/ Vatnik Soup - LEVELI]</ref> – Finnish pro-Russian/conspiracy theory podcast run by {{wpl|fi:Milad Dehghan|Slim Mill}} and Nico Giansanti
*{{wpl|fi:Tuomas Malinen|Tuomas Malinen}}<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/145/ Vatnik Soup - Tuomas Malinen]</ref> — Finnish economist and conspiracy theorist
*[[Elon Musk]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/201 Vatnik Soup - Elon Musk (part 1)]</ref><ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/203 Vatnik Soup - Elon Musk (part 2) ]</ref>
*[[Jordan Peterson]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/192 Vatnik Soup - Jordan Peterson]</ref>
*{{wpl|Janus Putkonen|Janus Putkonen}}<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/1 Vatnik Soup - Janus Putkonen]</ref> — The man who started the soup. A Finn who has been distributing Russian propaganda to other Finns, through his news website MV-lehti.
*[[Tara Reade]], the woman who accused Joe Biden of sexually abusing her.<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/190 Vatnik Soup - Tara Reade]</ref> She later defected to Russia.<ref>Martin Pengelly (May 30, 2023). [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/30/tara-reade-defects-russia-biden "Tara Reade, who accused Joe Biden of sexual assault, defects to Russia"]. ''The Guardian''.</ref>
*[[RT|Margarita Simonyan]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/36 Vatnik Soup - Margarita Simonyan]</ref>
*[[Wagner Group]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/81 Vatnik Soup - Wagner Group]</ref>
*[[ZeroHedge]]<ref>[https://vatniksoup.com/en/soups/153  Vatnik Soup - ZeroHedge]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Fun:Vatnik argument bingo: Ukraine edition]]

== External links ==
*[https://vatniksoup.com/ The soup website, which includes links to all the threads]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:Finland]]
[[Category:Russia]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]
[[Category:Vatniks|*]]

Categories: Alt-right, Propaganda, Finland, Russia, Totalitarianism, Vatniks