Czechia ranked Russia's No. 4 'enemy' by pro-Kremlin newspaper

Czechia has been ranked among Russia's biggest international "enemies" in a monthly index published by the pro-Kremlin newspaper Vzgljad, continuing a streak that has kept Prague near the top of the unusual list.

The Czech government placed joint fourth in the latest ranking, receiving 65 out of a possible 100 "hostility" points. Romania, Poland, the United Kingdom and Canada received the same score.

Italy took the top spot with 80 points, followed by Germany, Lithuania and Finland with 75. The United States, Latvia and France shared third place with 70 points.

Despite its framing, the index is not an official Russian government list. It is compiled each month by Vzgljad, a Russian newspaper supportive of the Kremlin, and assigns countries points based on actions considered hostile toward Moscow.

The ranking uses six criteria. Military and political activity against Russia can account for up to 30 points, while sanctions pressure is worth up to 20.

Italy's rise to first place was attributed to its seizure in August of a vessel linked to Russia's so-called shadow fleet, which is used to transport Russian oil while circumventing Western restrictions.

Japan also entered the ranking for the first time following Tokyo's protest over Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup, one of the disputed Kuril Islands claimed by both Russia and Japan.

The newspaper said the overall level of "hostility" declined in August because many European governments largely limited their actions to sanctions and supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Czechia has appeared in the top 10 every month since Vzgljad began publishing the index last November.

It also placed fourth in the inaugural ranking, although its position has fluctuated considerably since then, falling to the bottom of the list in May before climbing again.

Czech-Russian relations have deteriorated sharply over the past several years, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Czechia has supported sanctions against Moscow and supplied military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

Tensions, however, predate the invasion. Czech authorities concluded in 2021 that Russian military intelligence agents were involved in explosions at an ammunition depot in Vrbětice in 2014, triggering diplomatic expulsions and a major deterioration in bilateral relations.

The Vzgljad ranking should therefore not be read as an official assessment of threats by the Russian state. But it offers an indication of how Czechia and other Western governments are portrayed in parts of Russia's pro-Kremlin media, and for the moment, Prague remains close to the top.