When Indian prime minister Narendra Modi landed in Brisbane for the G20 summit with two of his nation's greatest cricketers, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, in tow as members of his official party, his nation's political commentators described it as "crafty" to employ cricket diplomacy in sports-mad Down Under.

Russia Today, the Kremlin’s English-language TV organ, launched a U.K. edition earlier this month. Headquartered near Westminster, the channel will beam RT’s signature blend of propaganda and tinfoil-hat conspiracy theorizing into millions of British homes.

Russia has launched a new international multimedia information agency Sputnik that plans to broadcast in 30 languages including Estonian and Latvian.  In 2015, Sputnik intends to broadcast over 800 hours of radio programming a day, covering over 130 cities and 34 countries.

Russia unveiled a new initiative to spread Moscow’s message by radio and Internet in 30 different languages, the latest effort in the Kremlin’s intensifying information war with the West.

Russia’s federal oversight authority in the sphere of communication (Roskomnadzor) said on Monday it had nothing to do with CNN International’s decision to withdraw from Russian cable networks. “You’d better ask CNN shareholders why the channel stops its broadcasting in Russia,” Vadim Ampelonsky, a Rospomnadzor spokesperson, told TASS.

"The air link completes the cultural bridge, consolidated by HM the King's recent visit to Russia," Shaikha Mai said. “Gulf Air’s direct flights to Moscow will enhance tourism, cultural and civilisational exchange between the two friendly countries.”

Russia’s president constantly undermines his own case on the global stage.  Where Putin further miscalculates badly is that his country has next to no soft power.