The Rest Is Classified 136. How Russia Made Trump: Putin’s Troll Factory (Ep 5)
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Mar 9, 2026 A deep dive into the rise of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the creation of the Internet Research Agency. Tales of fake American personas, on-the-ground stunts, and assembly-line troll tactics. Analysis of outreach strategies, budgets, and which content actually spread. A look at how online influence intersected with hack-and-leak operations and political contacts.
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Prigozhin Turned Restaurant PR Into A State Influence Tool
- Yevgeny Prigozhin parlayed restaurant PR and online reputation tactics into a Kremlin-backed influence operation.
- He built the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg after Kremlin noticed his social media PR work in 2012–2013.
Internet Ops Let Russians Pose Directly As Americans
- The IRA could pose directly as Americans online, removing intermediaries used in old-style active measures.
- That digital impersonation let them create source personas and publish content appearing to come from US activists.
Trolls Took A Road Trip And Ran A Fake Hot Dog Stunt
- Two Internet Research Agency employees toured eight US states to research American audiences and create believable personas.
- They later staged a fake New York hot dog giveaway that drew a few confused locals and ecstatic trolls back in St. Petersburg.
