Understanding Sputnik News Agency Internet Traffic Analysis

Abstract

Sputnik news agency remains one of the main channels used by Russia to conduct disinformation campaigns across its borders, affecting both Romania and the Republic of Moldova virtual communities. This research offers a practical methodological solution for measuring communication outcomes and describing audience and its behavior and it shows that, at the end of 2018, Sputnik was a peripheral news platform for the Romanian informational space and a growing threat for the Republic of Moldova, where it occupied a leading position. The evaluation was conducted with data extracted through the Alexa service provided by Amazon and Gemius data - the Moldovan Audit Office of Circuits and Internet.