MOSCOW, November 5. /TASS/. US media exert considerable psychological influence on ordinary nationals causing them to feel distrust of Russia’s policy, the head of the mission of a Russian Federal Agency in the United States said Wednesday.
Yury Zaytsev, who heads the US mission of the Russian Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), recalled that a year ago, some American media carried reports on its alleged involvement in recruitment of US nationals by Russian intelligence agents.
“This factor had a certain effect on the American audience. In essence, there was a break in Russian-American humanitarian contacts, after which relations stopped going in a positive direction,” Zaytsev said. “A scheme of public consciousness manipulation started working.”
He said Americans know of the situation in Ukraine “as much as time allows them to and what media tell them”. “The tragic situation with the Boeing (crash) — and we had many calls to the embassy and cultural center with the question "how could you kill so many people". That’s the US media coverage of Russia,” Zaytsev said.
He said the situation is the same regarding other events in Ukraine. “It’s a huge psychological influence, ordinary Americans begin to distrust Russia’s policy. It’s very sad,” the official said.
Zaytsev said he does not plan to challenge in court reports in American media that claimed Rossotrudnichestvo cooperates with Russian special services.
In fall 2013, US media carried reports claiming that Russian special services recruit young American politicians using the program of their trips to Russia. The allegations were not substantiated with proof.