Some time ago I was at a party in Moscow. And my friend said to me "who's that guy? He's very quiet and he looks like he studying everyone." Turns out it was Aleksei from Vovan and Lexus. The famous Russian pranksters who first hit the headlines when they recorded calls with Prince Harry and Elton John. With Elton, they pretending to be Vladimir Putin. And the real Russian President even called the artist back a couple of weeks later to apologise on their behalf. Such is the high esteem Elton John is held, even in Russia. They now have their own show on Russia's TV One. And I went round to interview them. They're really nice guys. Who for the last few years have increasingly targetted western politicians who are critical of Russia. Their revelations often make headline news both in Russia and the West. When I used to travel to countries around the world, that I knew little of, to report. I would binge research. And often the most insightful info came from Wikileaks. Some leaked documents that would explain the deep workings of the state. And in a way, the work of Vovan and Lexus has done the same thing. It turns out, what politicians say infront of the camera. Is rather different to what they say privately in a phone call to someone they think they can trust. Who would have thought! Whether it was getting Boris Johnson to admit that maybe Ukraine regretted not making peace with Russia at the start of the conflict. Or Merkel, Hollande and Poroshenko to admit that the Minsk agreements were just a way to give Ukraine time to prepare for war. Or Samantha Powell to admit the extent of USAID and regime change operations in Eastern Europe. They've helped to reveal more than many journalists achieve in a lifetime. What they do is probably illegal in many countries. But then, impactful journalism often ends up being illegal to someone. Perhaps the funniest story they told me. Was when EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas was speaking at a cyber security conference in Europe. Warning of malign Russian interference. She excused herself, for an important call with an African Politician. But it turned out to be Vovan and Lexus instead. She never found out until it was broadcast. Cyber security indeed. "You will never find anyone better than Kaja Kallas" Aleksei tells me with a smile. "Actually, she is the face of Europe now." Such is the continents slide into self destructive policy making. And we talked about the war. And how it would be better if there was peace between Russia and Europe. And how Westerners are very welcome in Russia. There's no hate from their side. Anyway. In the information war between East and West. Their methods may be less than honest. But what their work reveals is often the most honest of all. @evilprank