This analysis by Prof. Mirjana Najchevska, an expert on the rule of law and human rights, was originally published by Truthmeter.mk. An edited version is republished in two parts by Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement. One of the simplest ways to influence a wider number of people is to glorify a country. This can evoke admiration, a sense of belonging and community, a sense of protection, an ever-present refuge, an alternative available to citizens and the state. This is especially possible in times of stunted development, unfulfilled expectations, or dissatisfaction with the speed with which things are moving, in this case, North Macedonia's accession negotiations with the EU. Demonstrating the power of a state can refer to cultural, scientific, or some other type of power, but it is most striking when it corresponds to the emphasis on military power. This segment of possible influence is interesting and catches the eye when analyzing the influence that Russia has in the Republic of North Macedonia. Cover of the GLOBSEC Vulnerability Index 2021 for North Macedonia In general, North Macedonia is not too exposed, nor is it under any visible and strong influence of Russia. Regular monitoring of the vulnerability of the country from this kind of influence by the think tank GLOBSEC from Bratislava shows that North Macedonia is moderately vulnerable and that it has mechanisms that manage to deal with it. Fascination with Russia’s power exists and is transmitted both through the formal media and, moreover, through social networks and websites, but it is difficult to quantify and measure. This is influenced by several factors. First, analytical and investigative journalism is not developed in the country, but rather, copying and republishing news/information/analysis from other, mostly foreign media is practiced. Considering that even in this transmission the media from which the text is being republished are not quoted, and even less often links are given to the specific texts, one can only assume from which source certain news/information is taken according to its content. Second, there is a tradition of listening/watching/reading media coming from the neighboring Republic of Serbia. It is very difficult to determine the extent of citizens’ exposure to these media (many of which are very positive and non-selective when it comes to transmitting information related to Russia and its military power). The situation is worsening with the purchase of some of the media in North Macedonia by Serbian owners. If this is put in the context of the analyses that indicate the great influence of Russia in the Serbian media, a conclusion can be drawn about that influence in North Macedonia, as well. Third, social networks are an important source of information that is difficult to quantify. Trust in media outlets whose source cannot be verified is significant and unequivocally dangerous. Precisely because of the most informal way of conveying information, views, opinions, it is not easy to assess the level of impact it has on a wider circle of people. What can be deduced from the analysis of the media in North Macedonia is that Russia’s military power is talked about in a way and in a quantity that cannot be found in any other country. The one-sidedness of the information is emphasized by the fact that in the media there are no relevant measurements and data from which one can see the military power of individual countries/alliances. Illustration: List of countries by military power according to GlobalFirepower (GFP). This fascination (in the way it is portrayed in the media) may or may not correspond to factual data (given that very few articles point to relevant data or sources for certain claims). In any case, the media are not opposed to different sources of data. In some articles, the absence of sources and relevant data is replaced by giving details of specific types of weapons and/or armaments that should create the impression of relevance and knowledge. For example, one such article is entitled “A Killer Carrier Will Make Russia a Powerful Hypersonic Force,” which provides a very detailed account of the “new” weapons being developed by Russia. Or “Russian S-350 anti-aircraft systems coming to Crimea soon,” and “Kaliningrad Fortress: The Russian army is rapidly forming a powerful division to defend important enclaves.” Some of the articles are structured in such a way that at first glance seem to send a message of concern (about Russia’s military power), but in a number of such cases, the entire text radiates admiration.