- "Victoria Pesti" Discord account, which, as set forth below, was another fake persona used by AFANASYEVA at U.S. Company-1.
- AFANASYEVA (as "Helena Shudra") initially adopted a similar editorial role as KALASHNIKOV; for example, in communications on the U.S. Company-I Discord Server, "Helena Shudra" solicited raw footage from and circulated edited videos for review by Commentator-4. After the public launch of U.S. Company-1, however, AFANASYEVA used the "Helena Shudra" persona and the "Victoria Pesti" persona to push RT messaging through U.S. Company-1 and expand its viewership, as set forth below.
AFANASYEVA Steers U.S. Company-1 Marketing and Messaging for RT
34. On or about November 1, 2023, one of the six commentators listed on U.S. Company-1's website ("Commentator-6") posted a video on YouTube announcing the launch of U.S. Company-1. In the video, Commentator-6 explained that U.S. Company-1 was a "project" of Founder-1 and Founder-2, who were "trying to build a new platform for independent media" with an initial lineup of six content creators, namely, Commentator-1 through Commentator-6.
35. After the public launch of U.S. Company-1, AFANASYEVA, using her covert personas "Helena Shudra" and "Victoria Pesti," aggressively advanced RT's investment in U.S. Company-1 in at least two ways.
36. First, AFANASYEVA demanded that Founder-1 press U.S. Company-1's hired commentators to share U.S. Company-1 content with the commentators' pre-existing audiences—thus magnifying the impact of RT's messaging through U.S. Company-1. For example:
- On or about February 16, 2024, AFANASYEVA (as "Helena Shudra") messaged Founder-1 on Discord: "I do worry that neither [Commentator-3] nor [Commentator-1] share any raw videos posted on X. [Commentator-2] shared only one video this week.
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