• Resident Fellow

Givi Gigitashvili

Givi Gigitashvili is a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab). In this role, Gigitashvili investigates influence operations, social media manipulation, and FIMI campaigns targeting Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. 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 degrees from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (BA, Social Science), University of Tartu (MA, EU-Russia Studies), and King’s College London (Postgraduate Diploma, Strategic Communications). He has authored dozens of research reports and articles on disinformation, foreign influence operations, and information warfare. Gigitashvili speaks Georgian, English, Polish and Russian.

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, , Roman Osadchuk

Wagner-affiliated Telegram channels saw tremendous growth as some pro-war channels vacillated on which side to support
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August 2023

Russian War Report: Tensions escalate in the Black Sea as the Russian navy forcefully inspects a civilian cargo ship

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russia escalated tensions beyond Ukraine again this week when its navy forcibly inspected and fired warning shots at a civilian cargo ship.
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