Stuff They Don't Want You To Know CLASSIC: Operation Infektion: Russia's AIDS Conspiracy
Oct 7, 2025
Dive into the chilling world of conspiracy theories surrounding HIV and AIDS. Discover Russia's covert Operation Infektion, a KGB disinformation campaign aimed at spreading false narratives about the virus's origins. The hosts reveal how misinformation sowed distrust and manipulated public opinion while shedding light on the campaign's long-lasting effects. From Soviet tactics to modern disinformation strategies, this exploration highlights the dangerous legacy of manipulation in today's media landscape. Buckle up for a thought-provoking journey!
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Soviet Disinformation Machinery
- The USSR had a long, institutional history of state-sponsored disinformation dating back before the KGB era.
- Their 'active measures' blended media manipulation, forgeries, and front groups to wage political warfare globally.
Black Propaganda To Fracture Allies
- Black propaganda masqueraded as third-party or discovered documents to sow distrust among allies.
- The USSR used forged materials to imply Western complicity in atrocities and fracture alliances.
How The Segal Report Spread
- In 1983 an Indian pro-Soviet paper printed an anonymous 'well-known American scientist' blaming Fort Detrick for creating AIDS.
- The Segal report (1985) then spread globally via fronts and translations, reaching 80 countries by 1987.