The information comes from an analysis carried out by an international consortium of seven media outlets, including The Continent and OpenDemocracy, together with other news organizations, based on leaked documents.
According to the files, the maneuvers began shortly after Milei was sworn in in December 2023. The President, identified in the report as an emerging figure of the global right, adopted from the start an alignment with the United States, including his support for Ukraine in the war with Russia
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Internally, he promoted an adjustment program identified with the “chainsaw” and a confrontational discourse towards his left-wing opponents.
Javier Milei and Vladimir Putin.
“The Company”
In this context, the documents indicate the actions of a structure known as “The Company”, linked to Russia's foreign intelligence services
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In 2024, this entity deployed a series of propaganda operations in more than 20 countries in Africa and South America, including Argentina. The objective was to take advantage of the climate of political and social polarization to amplify tensions
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The material analyzed includes 76 documents that detail different activities: from hiring surveys and preparing reports on strategic sectors such as the Argentine military-industrial complex and oil resources in Antarctica, to profiles of public figures and interviews with opposition leaders. Plans to support opposition candidates in the past legislative elections of 2025 were also mentioned
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However, the main focus was on building a network for the distribution of false news in digital media and social networks. The investigation detected at least 250 publications, including news, analysis and opinion columns, released between June and October 2024 on more than 20 websites, with an estimated budget of 283,000 dollars
. Javier Milei and Vladimir Putin.
The documents include records of rates ranging from $350 to $3,100 per item, although it could not be confirmed if those payments were made or who the recipients were
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The content released consisted mostly of critiques of the Milei Government's economic plan, the social impact of fiscal adjustment and diplomatic tensions with other countries.
In several cases, the articles, unsigned and published in recognized media in Argentina, included positions favorable to Russia and against the United States, in addition todistortions, exaggerations and false news.
The documents also reflect additional expenses of 343,000 dollars earmarked for information-gathering and operational organization tasks.
Finally, media expert Martín Becerra linked these practices to a broader logic: “The Wagner Group, and in general, Putin's disinformation and intelligence activities consist of creating chaos and disorder, creating a landscape of discrediting institutions that have been legitimized in the past, including media and journalists.” As he explained, the objective is to “fish in a rough river”.
