Fact-checkers in North Macedonia have traced the original source of the bribe article and uncovered a complex trail of disinformation spanning at least four countries.

"Although all countries in the region have been targets of pro-Russia disinformation efforts recently, there has been no recognition of this trend as a security issue at the political level"

The cyclical spread of pseudoscientific notions about IQs based on race or ethnicity taps into pre-existing stereotypes as well as it reinforces them in this region.

Gruveski led North Macedonia's right-wing government from 2006 to 2017, a period of sharp democratic decline.

"The purpose of publishing under the name Balkanist in Russian is to confuse readers at home, in Russia and elsewhere into questioning our sincerity, what and who we support."

Mundane health advice such as doing exercise and eating vegetables becomes "Russian advice" in magazines such as Russian Doctor, Russian Herbalist, Russian Encyclopedia of Health.