In Their Own Words: How Russian Propagandists Reveal Putin’s Intentions

This collection of essays and articles, written between 2019 and 2024 for such outlets as The Daily Beast and The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), illuminates recent Russian international affairs through the lens of Moscow’s propaganda tactics. For more than two decades, the Kremlin’s agitators have been tasked to lay, in advance, the groundwork for various domestic and foreign actions by the regime of Vladimir Putin. Thus, Russian state-controlled media provides crucial clues for deciphering the--often sinister--goals that the government of Russia was and is planning to pursue abroad, from election interference to military invasions. The goal of the sum of these activities is the establishment of a new world order--with Russia at its helm. Before the large invasion of 24 February 2022, Russian state media portrayed the West as incapable of opposing Russian aggression. Putin’s propagandists cheered for war against Ukraine, predicting it would be quick and victorious. Misreading the ability of the West to unite and miscalculating Russia’s capabilities in confronting determined Ukrainians, Russia ended up in a quagmire of its own creation. In 2024, Putin’s decorated propagandists face the possibility of future scrutiny and potential prosecutions for their proactive incitement of genocide. They unravel, along with the Kremlin, having to tell multiple conflicting stories and condemn the same players they used to lionize. Backed into the corner, they resort to nuclear threats and demand even more blood from Ukraine, whose only crime is its desire for democracy and freedom.

Julia Davis, M.S. is a columnist for The Daily Beast and a Russian media analyst, who specializes in exposing Russian propaganda tactics, with focus on the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare and foreign policy. Davis’ investigative reports and articles have repeatedly exposed Russia’s propaganda machine, prompting retractions and corrections by RT (formerly Russia Today) and other media outlets. Davis has been sanctioned by the Russian Federation for her ongoing efforts to debunk Russian propaganda, expose war crimes and genocidal rhetoric that is prevalent in the government-controlled state media.

She created and operates the Russian Media Monitor, analyzing Russian state media in broader context of the Kremlin’s propaganda. Her articles and videos about Russian propaganda have been translated and shared all over the world.

Julia Davis is also a film and television producer, director, writer and member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (The Emmys), Women in Film, the Screen Actors Guild, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and other professional guilds and organizations. Julia was the first to produce a musical score featuring the National Ukrainian Orchestra for Paramount Pictures.

Davis holds a Master’s Degree in Aviation and Spacecraft Engineering. She is multilingual and speaks several languages fluently, including English, Spanish, Russian (native speaker), and Ukrainian (native speaker).

She is a former federal officer, having served with the Department of Homeland Security as an Acting Supervisor.