Sweden's New Agency for Psychological Defence Slammed as 'Ministry of Truth'

Swedish Justice Minister described Russia as the main foe in psychological warfare. However, he decried the undisputed neo-Nazi presence in Ukraine and their atrocities against the population of Donbass as examples of “false messaging”, thus raising doubts about the objectivity of the new agency created to stamp out disinformation.

Swedish Minister of Justice and Home Affairs Morgan Johansson has now inaugurated a new Agency for Psychological Defence (MPF), which critics have described in Orwellian terms as the “Ministry of Truth”, implying that it will decide what is true and false.

On Facebook, Morgan Johansson posted pictures from the inauguration ceremony held in the city of Karlstad together with the newly-appointed MPF director Henrik Landerholm.

In an accompanying text, Johansson dwelled on the agency's mission, identifying Russia as a primary foe.

“Psychological warfare is as old as war itself. The Soviet Union devoted itself to it throughout the post-war period, and Russia has continued to do so. We see this these days, not less. Today, this type of influence operation is conducted primarily on social media,” Johansson said.

According to Johansson, the MPF's task will be to “map out and analyse influence operations, spreading rumours and misleading propaganda about Sweden conducted by foreign powers, and to support Swedish authorities in responding to the false messaging”.

As an example of such a “false narrative”, he named the “insane idea” that Ukraine is “ruled by Nazis who have committed genocide against Russians”, adding that they have so far “had no success in the West”, but stressed that it was "important to remain vigilant”.

However, the neo-Nazi ideology of, among others, the Ukrainian Azov battalion, currently trapped in the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, and its atrocities against the population of Donbass are well-known and documented. The unit was initially formed following the Euromaidan coup as a successor to vigilante groups that embraced xenophobic and neo-Nazi ideals and physically assaulted migrants and foreigners, as well as people opposing their views. As a battalion, the group fought on the front lines against pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, the eastern region of Ukraine, and were integrated into the National Guard of Ukraine. Since then, they have been lavished with praise by both former President Petro Poroshenko, who called them “our best warriors” and current President Volodymyr Zelensky.

On social media and in several outlets, including Fria Tider, the new agency has been dubbed “Ministry of Truth”.

Incidentally, the same trope has been broadly used about the Disinformation Governance Board recently launched by the Biden administration under the leadership of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Outlets ranging from Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal to The Hill minced no words as they slammed the move as “un-American”.