In the world of journalism, truth has always been the primary currency. Yet in fragile democracies like Kosovo, where corruption, external influence, and disinformation collide, the line between reporting and propaganda is often blurred. What began as a petty, coordinated attack on my work by Berat Buzhala’s media machine has evolved into a larger, more sinister campaign. With Russia Today (RT)1 Serbia launching a vitriolic assault on my journalism on December 16, 2024, a broader pattern has emerged. Buzhala’s tactics and RT’s strategies are not merely coincidental; they are connected by a common playbook, the Kremlin’s manual for disinformation and destabilisation.
What makes this story urgent is not just the personal attacks against me. It’s the dangerous escalation of media manipulation in Kosovo, orchestrated by individuals like Berat Buzhala and amplified by actors like Russia Today. This convergence of local opportunism and international disinformation threatens not only journalism but Kosovo’s democratic fabric.
Act I: Russia’s Maskirovka Meets Kosovo’s Media Mercenaries
The Russian concept of Maskirovka (meaning “deception”)2 is far more than battlefield camouflage. It is a strategic doctrine of creating confusion, spreading false narratives, and undermining trust in objective truth. It is the art of crafting an alternative reality so convincing that even the most discerning observers question what they know to be true.
For decades, Russia Today (RT) has been Moscow’s most potent instrument of Maskirovka. Funded and controlled by the Kremlin, RT does not function as a news organisation3. Its mission is to disrupt, confuse, and delegitimise voices that challenge Russia’s geopolitical interests. Its playbook is well-documented:
- Attack the Messenger: Discredit journalists, not by disproving their work, but by assassinating their character.
- Sow Doubt: Ridicule the facts, call them “conspiracies,” and dismiss sources as unreliable.
- Create Alternative Realities: Offer convoluted, misleading counter-narratives to muddy the waters of public perception.
In Kosovo, Berat Buzhala’s media empire, spanning outlets like Nacionale and Gazeta Express, has adopted a strikingly similar strategy. His attacks on my investigative reporting mirror RT’s tactics in alarming ways. Whether through smearing my character, mocking my sources, or ridiculing the inconvenient truths I’ve uncovered, Buzhala has transformed his platforms into tools of propaganda.
But why now?
Why have my investigations, which expose corruption, Serbian-backed destabilisation efforts, and Kremlin influence, triggered such relentless campaigns?
Act II: The Evidence of Convergence
Attacking the Messenger
When I uncovered Aleksandar Arsenijevic’s connections to figures tied to the Banjska attacks and Serbian-backed operations4, Buzhala’s response was immediate. He accused me of being a “useful idiot” for the government and dismissed my findings as “fantasy.”
In this video, Berat Buzhala, head of the media outlet ‘Nacionale,’ personally attacks me following my investigative reporting into Aleksandar Arsenijevic’s ties with Belgrade and Gabriel Escobar’s5 connections to Serbia. Buzhala’s statements are filled with baseless accusations, insults, and attempts to delegitimize my work, dismissing me as a ‘useful idiot’ and undermining my credibility as a journalist.
I have filed formal complaints with the Kosovo Media Commission regarding this defamatory and unethical behavior. However, they have failed to address the issue, which is deeply concerning and revealing of how far the Kremlin playbook has penetrated into Kosovo’s media and institutional landscape. This is a blatant attempt to silence independent journalism and obscure uncomfortable truths that powerful actors prefer to keep hidden.
Russia Today’s smear campaign followed the same script. On December 16, 2024, Pravda6 amplified their article7, deriding my reporting on Maher Al-Assad’s alleged presence in Serbia8. They ridiculed my Turkish sources and dismissed my findings as ‘lunacy,’ employing the same narrative to discredit me as a journalist rather than engaging with the evidence I presented. The timing of this attack, just before the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, suggests a coordinated effort to manipulate public perception and deflect from Serbia’s geopolitical actions and alignments.
Despite these attacks, I remain committed to uncovering the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be for those in power.
Amplifying Deflection and Distraction
Buzhala’s defence of Arsenijevic9 hinged on an irrelevant distraction, a claim that a controversial photo was from a decade-old movie. The tactic is classic Maskirovka: divert attention from the findings by focusing on a small, irrelevant detail, as though it invalidates the larger investigation.
RT Serbia amplified this tactic by weaving baseless conspiracies into their coverage of my work. Instead of addressing Serbia’s alignment10 with Kremlin-backed agendas or the allegations of Maher Al-Assad’s refuge11, they deflected to unrelated accusations about my past.
Constructing Alternative Realities
Russia Today thrives on building parallel realities. In their world, Russia’s war in Ukraine is a humanitarian mission, and NATO is the aggressor. Similarly, Berat Buzhala’s outlets have constructed an alternative narrative of Kosovo where Serbia’s provocations are justified, and journalists like me are vilified as agitators.
Buzhala’s media portray Aleksandar Arsenijevic as a misunderstood figure, an innocent advocate for Serbs in northern Kosovo. Yet my investigation uncovered his deep ties to Serbian-backed paramilitary operations, drug traffickers, and figures implicated in acts of terrorism. The truth, inconvenient as it may be, is replaced with a fiction designed to confuse and deflect.
Act III: Why Russia Today Took Over
When my reports on Arsenijevic, Berat Buzhala12, and Serbia’s Kremlin-aligned destabilisation tactics began gaining traction, it was clear that Buzhala’s smear campaigns were faltering. The evidence I presented was overwhelming, and Buzhala’s mockery13 only strengthened my credibility. Like a cornered operative, Buzhala may have turned to more powerful allies.
Enter Russia Today.
RT’s and Pravda’s involvement marks an escalation. Where Buzhala’s clumsy attacks failed, RT deployed a more sophisticated campaign, an internationally recognised propaganda outlet stepping in to muddy the waters further. But RT’s involvement also reveals a truth: my investigations have touched a nerve. When journalists uncover corruption, external manipulation, and geopolitical agendas, the propagandists respond in kind.
RT’s decision to join the assault suggests two things:
- Buzhala’s Failure: Buzhala and his media machine proved too small and ineffectual to discredit my work on their own. The Kremlin’s allies may have intervened to reinforce the operation.
- The Threat of Truth: The facts I’ve reported, from Serbia’s alignment with Russia to Arsenijevic’s provocations, to Escobar’s links to Serbia’s MFA, to Maher Al-Assad’s hiding in Serbia; pose a significant threat to those invested in destabilising Kosovo.
Act IV: Journalism vs. Propaganda
The convergence of Buzhala’s tactics and RT’s methods underscores a broader trend: the weaponisation of media to undermine democracy and accountability. This is not just a story about me or my work. It is a story about how fragile democracies like Kosovo are targeted by both internal and external actors who use disinformation as a tool of power.
But here’s what RT, Buzhala, and their allies misunderstand: journalism with integrity cannot be silenced.
Their attacks may ridicule, deflect, and distort, but they cannot erase the truth. The evidence I have presented, of corruption, paramilitary networks, and Kremlin-backed agendas, remains indisputable.
To my readers, let me assure you: these campaigns are not signs of failure but of success. When the powerful attack a journalist14, it is not because the journalist is wrong, it is because they fear what the journalist has uncovered.
Epilogue: The Resilience of Truth
Russia Today may have stepped into Berat Buzhala’s shoes, but their involvement reveals a deeper insecurity. The Kremlin and its allies understand the power of truth. It is why they invest so heavily in disinformation. Yet, as history has shown, truth is resilient. It withstands ridicule, propaganda, and even the most powerful adversaries.
Buzhala’s tactics, like those of Russia Today and Pravda, will fail. Their alternative realities will crumble under the weight of facts. And as they grasp for new ways to undermine my work, I will continue to report with integrity, to hold power accountable, and to expose the agendas that threaten Kosovo’s sovereignty and democracy.
Because in the end, journalism is not just a profession. It is a commitment to truth. And no propaganda machine, whether local or Kremlin-backed can ever take that down.
Луда оптужба албанског новинара из Лондона: Асадов брат се крије у Србији? Russia Today— Serbia [PDF]
Maskirovka is a Russian military doctrine of deception and disinformation that extends far beyond traditional camouflage or battlefield tactics. Originating in Soviet military strategy, Maskirovka encompasses a wide range of deceptive practices, including misinformation, feints, and the use of decoys to mislead adversaries. The goal is to obscure the true intentions and capabilities of the actor, creating confusion and exploiting the enemy’s miscalculations. In contemporary contexts, Maskirovka has evolved to include strategic disinformation campaigns, cyber warfare, and media manipulation, all aimed at shaping perceptions and sowing discord among opponents. This doctrine is not merely about hiding the truth but about constructing a compelling alternative narrative that can disarm opponents psychologically, politically, and strategically, making it a powerful tool in both conventional and hybrid warfare. By blurring the lines between reality and fiction, Maskirovka seeks to control the narrative and ultimately the outcome of conflicts, whether on the battlefield, in political arenas, or in the court of public opinion.
Alerting the World to RT’s Global Covert Activities — US State Department Fact Sheet.
Aleksandar Arsenijevic: A Controversial Catalyst in Kosovo’s Political Turmoil — FRONTLINER
Gabriel Escobar’s Diplomacy Under Fire — FRONTLINER
Pravda is a long-running Russian newspaper with a complex history. Originally established in 1912, it became the official mouthpiece of the Soviet Communist Party during the Soviet era, playing a key role in state propaganda. The word “Pravda” itself means “truth” in Russian, though the publication was often criticized for promoting state-controlled narratives rather than factual journalism.
After the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Pravda split into different entities. The main publication, while losing its official state status, remained closely tied to pro-Kremlin sentiments and Russian nationalist perspectives. Today, Pravda.ru and its print version primarily serve as platforms for pro-Russian viewpoints, often amplifying government propaganda and echoing Kremlin-aligned narratives on domestic and international issues.
In this context, Pravda has frequently targeted independent journalists, critics of the Russian government, and geopolitical rivals, particularly through disinformation campaigns that align with Russia’s strategic interests.
Media Manipulation and Diplomatic Deceit: The Gabriel Escobar Controversy — FRONTLINER
Vudi Xhymshiti, founder of The Frontliner Magazine, brings a wealth of experience in reporting on global armed conflicts and political issues. With a background in Documentary Photography and Photojournalism from the University of the Arts London, and studies in Political Science, International Relations, and Diplomacy, Vudi skilfully merges human rights insights with dedicated journalism. His ethical and thoughtful reporting has graced top publications like The Guardian and The New York Times. At The Frontliner, launched in 2023, he explores the profound effects of conflicts on law, human rights, and freedoms, continuing his commitment to impactful storytelling.
