Why is Putin using African trolls against Europe?

We’ve talked a lot about pro-Kremlin internet trolls, who have worked to destabilise the democratic functioning of countries all across Europe. Turns out, there are even more of them than you might imagine – and they’re operating from places you might not expect. This week we chat with award-winning investigative reporter Philip Obaji Jr. about how Russia has been using African nations as launchpads to help sow chaos across Europe. Philip is an incredibly brave journalist working under exceedingly challenging conditions, and his insights on this growing problem are chilling. Also on the podcast this week: a heartening turnout at Kyiv Pride, and news about nuclear proliferation that we have definite mixed feelings about.

You can follow Philip's work on Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn and X, and contribute to his fundraiser here.

This week’s Inspiration Station picks are these cheeky counter-Trump European football jerseys and the pan-European queer choir festival Various Voices, which we learned about thanks to listener Davide.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BOUNCY SUMMER BOP? Contribute to our Summer Playlist! We’re looking for sunny, summery songs from across the continent, especially from lesser-known artists that sing in less widely spoken languages. Send your picks to hello@europeanspodcast.com or @europeanspodcast on Instagram/Mastodon.

Resources for this episode:

“Thousands gather for Kyiv's largest Pride march since start of full-scale war” – Kyiv Independent, 21 June 2026

“‘We are modern people’: Zelensky calls for open talk on LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine” – Pink News, 12 June 2026

“Discrimination in the European Union” (PDF) – Eurobarometer, 2023

Rainbow Map 2026 – ILGA-Europe’s national ranking of LGBTI human rights laws and policies

“Trans people in Ukraine: transition process, legislations, healthcare, and social attitudes” – Seymour Nezoriy, 11 November 2024

“What is Russia up to in Africa?”, our conversation with Beverly Ochieng last year

“Forests Now Cover Over a Third of Italy, Overtaking Farmland for the First Time Since the Middle Ages” – The Italian Times, 10 June 2026

This podcast was brought to you in cooperation with Euranet Plus, the leading radio network for EU news. But it’s contributions from listeners that truly make it all possible—we could not continue to make the show without you! If you like what we do, you can chip in to help us cover our production costs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (in many different currencies), or you can gift a donation to a superfan. You can also donate via our website if you prefer. And finally: we'd also love it if you could tell two friends about this podcast. We think two feels like a reasonable number.

Co-hosts: Dominic Kraemer and Katy Lee

Audio editing: Morgan Childs and Monika Proba

Senior producer: Katy Lee

Producers: Morgan Childs, Dominic Kraemer, Katy Lee, Wojciech Oleksiak

Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak

Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina

With special thanks this week to longtime Europeans producer Katz Laszlo

The Europeans is proudly produced using Europe’s own Hindenburg.

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