4 ms·

What is a point of making a vaccine and then starting antivaccination PR campaign? Disclaimer: I live in Russia and what is told about Russia here on HN slowly

What is a point of making a vaccine and then starting antivaccination PR campaign? Disclaimer: I live in Russia and what is told about Russia here on HN slowly kills me with its striking primitivism.

rocqua 5y ago
I guess that stoking anti-vax sentiment in the US increases political division. Moreover, it delays recovery from the pandemic, leaving the US economically worse off. I think a lot of "Russian influence campaign" suspicions held by people are just because they cannot fathom the other side being genuine. Helped by the fact that Russia does, in fact, run the occasional influence campaign in the US.
- shashurup 5y ago
  Aha, got it, it initially is not for internal consumption, so I'm not that aware of that. Can you share some links? I'm really curious how does it look like.
  - rocqua 5y ago
    I don't have any links. I am not sure whether Russia even is stoking anti-vax. It is clear that they have been attempting to influence elections. In the US but also in other places, like Austria. It seems unlikely they stick to elections.
  - krn 5y ago
    > Can you share some links? I'm really curious how does it look like. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-pfizer-covid-disinformation-serebryanskaya-murky-vaccine-influencers/31277170.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-pfizer-covid-disinformation-s...
    - shashurup 5y ago
      That is really interesting, thanks!
varjag 5y ago
As with all other Russian campaigns: to sow strife and division in "enemy" societies. Fracture lines develop into cracks you can set your wedge in.
rodgerd 5y ago
> what is told about Russia here on HN slowly kills me with its striking primitivism. I can believe it! I do judo with a Russian and it's interesting the difference between how others talk about Russia and knowing even a single actual Russian. I should be clearer that I'm describing the Russian government, not actual Russians, my apologies. As to the point - the only explanation offered that really makes sense to me is that it's an extension of the arguments that a number of governments are having around the various vaccines. The Russian government is in conflict with e.g. Brazil around the Sputnik vaccine. The Chinese government has been suggesting it will only allow travel to China from people who have been vaccinated with a Chinese-developed vaccine, not any others. And, of course, there is the ongoing argument over the patent status of a number of the European and US vaccines.
- shashurup 5y ago
  > I should be clearer that I'm describing the Russian government, not actual Russians, my apologies. No problem, I don't take this personally :) Sometimes I just can't help diving into political argument despite outcome in most cases is disappoining and HN is not inteded for such discussions in the first place. As for vaccines, in most cases it is pretty clear why something happens and motives are obvious. Spreading lies about competitors vaccine is definitely a dirty play but at least understandable tactic. Using toursts as a trade war weapon puzzles me a bit but still can probably be useful to improve negitiation position or whatever. But antivaccination propaganda has just rung a bell - it doesn't pass qui bono test. Antivaccination groups in any country are a minority (AFAIK) and it is hard to use them to "divide and conquer". IMO this kind of campaign most likely has been initiated by some antivaccination activists.

What is a point of making a vaccine and then starting antivaccination PR campaign? Disclaimer: I live in Russia and what is told about Russia here on HN slowly kills me with its striking primitivism.

rocqua 5y ago

I guess that stoking anti-vax sentiment in the US increases political division. Moreover, it delays recovery from the pandemic, leaving the US economically worse off. I think a lot of "Russian influence campaign" suspicions held by people are just because they cannot fathom the other side being genuine. Helped by the fact that Russia does, in fact, run the occasional influence campaign in the US.

shashurup 5y ago
Aha, got it, it initially is not for internal consumption, so I'm not that aware of that. Can you share some links? I'm really curious how does it look like.
- rocqua 5y ago
  I don't have any links. I am not sure whether Russia even is stoking anti-vax. It is clear that they have been attempting to influence elections. In the US but also in other places, like Austria. It seems unlikely they stick to elections.
- krn 5y ago
  > Can you share some links? I'm really curious how does it look like. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-pfizer-covid-disinformation-serebryanskaya-murky-vaccine-influencers/31277170.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-pfizer-covid-disinformation-s...
  - shashurup 5y ago
    That is really interesting, thanks!

varjag 5y ago

As with all other Russian campaigns: to sow strife and division in "enemy" societies. Fracture lines develop into cracks you can set your wedge in.

rodgerd 5y ago

> what is told about Russia here on HN slowly kills me with its striking primitivism. I can believe it! I do judo with a Russian and it's interesting the difference between how others talk about Russia and knowing even a single actual Russian. I should be clearer that I'm describing the Russian government, not actual Russians, my apologies. As to the point - the only explanation offered that really makes sense to me is that it's an extension of the arguments that a number of governments are having around the various vaccines. The Russian government is in conflict with e.g. Brazil around the Sputnik vaccine. The Chinese government has been suggesting it will only allow travel to China from people who have been vaccinated with a Chinese-developed vaccine, not any others. And, of course, there is the ongoing argument over the patent status of a number of the European and US vaccines.

shashurup 5y ago
> I should be clearer that I'm describing the Russian government, not actual Russians, my apologies. No problem, I don't take this personally :) Sometimes I just can't help diving into political argument despite outcome in most cases is disappoining and HN is not inteded for such discussions in the first place. As for vaccines, in most cases it is pretty clear why something happens and motives are obvious. Spreading lies about competitors vaccine is definitely a dirty play but at least understandable tactic. Using toursts as a trade war weapon puzzles me a bit but still can probably be useful to improve negitiation position or whatever. But antivaccination propaganda has just rung a bell - it doesn't pass qui bono test. Antivaccination groups in any country are a minority (AFAIK) and it is hard to use them to "divide and conquer". IMO this kind of campaign most likely has been initiated by some antivaccination activists.