Lithuanians fight Putin’s propaganda with phone trick

In the beginning you were just scolded. Four, five minutes. By now, people would start talking – and for as long as three hours. That is what the Lithuanian Paulius Senūta (46) says to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in connection with the war in Ukraine. Together with a friend, IT experts, marketing and PR people, Senūta launched the “Call Russia” project, which works like this: Volunteers call any number in Russia using a random number generator.

The Lithuanians not only want to tell and pass on information from a Western perspective, but also want to change the opinion of the Russians. Senūta: «In the first days of the war, everyone here did something. Our idea was just to call.” It is clear that everyone in Lithuania has ties with Russia. In the end, the country belonged to the Soviet Union until 1990. “And that is why most Lithuanians also understand Russian.”

Senūta and his acquaintances were not deterred by the initial anger on the other end of the line. Even after ten months of war, they are still ringing their neighbours’ bells. So far about 51,000 callers have tried their luck, a Russian number has been called about 180,000 times and there have been about half fewer calls. In total, the group has downloaded about 40 million Russian phone numbers from the Internet – and they all need to be contacted.

‘They think we have no idea’

Most calls still come from Lithuania and the other Baltic countries, says Senūta. But also from exiled Russians around the world. According to the “Süddeutsche”, some of those called want to keep in touch afterwards, write messages and call back. Senuta says: “We are constantly asked where the front actually is, what the losses are in the Russian army, what it really looks like in Ukraine.” Even if the people followed the Kremlin in justifying the war, they did not believe the military reports.

“We worked out a conversation technique with psychologists.” You must have a genuine interest, be able to listen and tolerate opposing opinions. “They think we have no idea and just don’t understand Russia.” Over the past twenty years at least, the West has built up an image of the enemy that only seeks to humiliate Russia. “And in fact, most Europeans and Americans know far too little or nothing at all about the Russians.”

Nearly a year later, the activists fail to see their target. But Senūta is confident. And he should have reason to, because the following telephone stories about the war are currently making headlines: As reported by the “New York Times,” for example, Russian soldiers at the front call home and talk about their misery. Criticism of the capabilities of the military superiors poured in, even Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) was cursed. There is also a hotline for Russian soldiers who want to give up: the Ukrainian government has set up a number that appears to be successful, the “Spiegel” reports. (two)