Operation "Denver" and Russia's Disinformation Playbook with Douglas Selvage

On this episode, Lera and Sergio speak with Douglas Selvage at the Humboldt University of Berlin about his research on the disinformation cooperation between KGB and STASI during the Cold War and specifically the work of Operation "Denver" in the 1980s. Dr. Selvage talks of how these same Cold War propaganda tactics are nearly verbatim recycled today in Putin's war of aggression in Ukraine. For his recent article, as mentioned in this episode, visit: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/moscow-bioweapons-and-ukraine-cold-war-active-measures-putins-war-propaganda. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Douglas Selvage is a Research Associate (wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) at the Institute for History of the Humboldt University in Berlin. He prevously served as acting director for the historical research project, “The GDR, the Ministry for State Security, and the CSCE Process, 1973-1989,” in the Education and Research Division of the Office of the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records in Berlin. He has published widely on the CSCE process, Polish-German relations under communism, and the history of the Soviet bloc. Previously, he also directed a grant project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to translate Warsaw Pact documents into English for the Parallel History Project (PHP) on Collective Security. From 2001-2006, he worked at the Historian’s Office of the U.S. Department of State, where his publications included Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969-1976: European Security, 1969-76, and a co-edited joint publication with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Soviet-American Relations: The Détente Years, 1969-1972. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 10th, 2021 and April 28th, 2022 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch! CREDITS Associate Producer/Host: Lera Toropin (@earlportion) Assistant Producer/Host: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Assistant Producer: Zach Johnson Assistant Producer: Taylor Ham Executive Assistant: Katherine Birch Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Holizna, Tea K Pea, Uncan, TAG) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. Special Guest: Douglas Selvage.