Despite the efforts conducted by the British media to limit opportunities for Kremlin propagandists to spread disinformation, some of them still manage to slip through. One of them was Russian propagandist Sergei Markov.
It could be argued that interviewing Sergei Markov was an effort to build a balanced view, presenting opposing approaches and creating an unbiased picture. Sergei Markov was introduced as Putin’s spokesperson, creating an illusion of value around his opinions and statements. In reality, Markov is not part of Putin’s circle and is, in fact, known for conspiracy theories, homophobic statements, and extremist views, such as calling the Ukrainian government “Nazi” and accusing the British government of “planning to strike Russian cities”.