• Research Associate, Caucasus

Givi Gigitashvili

Givi Gigitashvili is a research associate at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. In this role, Gigitashvili investigates influence operations, social media manipulation, and computational propaganda campaigns in Eastern European and South Caucasus countries. Before joining the DFRLab in 2019, Gigitashvili worked as an international development consultant for Ecorys, an international research and consulting company, where he was providing research and consultancy services to a wide range of public and private clients in Eastern European countries.

Gigitashvili holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, a master’s degree in EU-Russia studies from University of Tartu, and a postgraduate diploma in strategic communications from King’s College London.

September 2023

Anti-Ukraine Telegram network targets audiences in nine languages

by Givi Gigitashvili

Network is linked to a former member of the Security Service of Ukraine
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August 2023

Prigozhin-owned media outlets experienced narrative whiplash during and after Wagner mutiny

by Givi Gigitashvili

Online outlets operated by Prigozhin’s Patriot Media Group initially supported his actions, but switched to pro-Putin rhetoric once the mutiny ended
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August 2023

How Russian pro-war Telegram channels addressed the Wagner mutiny

by Givi Gigitashvili, Ani Mejlumyan, Roman Osadchuk

Wagner-affiliated Telegram channels saw tremendous growth as some pro-war channels vacillated on which side to support
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