Russian disinformation#Social media platforms and the internet

{{main|State propaganda in the Russian Federation}}

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union used propaganda and disinformation as "active measures...against the populations of Western nations".{{Cite journal| page = 11| last = McGeehan| first = Timothy P.| title = Countering Russian Disinformation |journal=Parameters |volume=48 |number=1 | access-date = 25 February 2022 |date=2018 |url=https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2850&context=parameters }}{{rp|51}} During the administration of Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, "disinformation" was discussed in the Russian media and by Russian politicians in relation to the disinformation of the Soviet era, and to differentiate Boris Yeltsin's new Russia from its Soviet predecessor.

{{cite web

|last1=Tolz

|first1=Vera

|last2=Hutchings

|first2=Stephen |title=Performing disinformation: a muddled history and its consequences |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2021/10/08/performing-disinformation-a-muddled-history-and-its-consequences/

|website=LSE blogs |access-date=12 April 2022 |date=8 October 2021

}}

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|quote = It is especially important to introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social, and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics.

|author = Aleksandr Dugin

|source = Foundations of Geopolitics (1997), translation by John B. Dunlop{{cite journal |author=John Dunlop |title=Aleksandr Dugin's Foundations of Geopolitics |url=https://www2.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/demokratizatsiya%20archive/GWASHU_DEMO_12_1/John%20Dunlop%20Aleksandr%20Dugin's%20Foundations%20of%20Geopolitics.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607175004/https://www2.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/demokratizatsiya%20archive/GWASHU_DEMO_12_1/John%20Dunlop%20Aleksandr%20Dugin's%20Foundations%20of%20Geopolitics.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2016 |journal=Demokratizatsiya|volume=12|issue=1|page=41|quote=It is especially important to introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social, and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics.|date=January 2004}}

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|align = right

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In the post-Yeltsin era, Russian disinformation has been described as a key tactic in the military doctrine of Russia.{{citation

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/29/world/europe/russia-sweden-disinformation.html|work=The New York Times

|access-date=9 December 2016

|title=A Powerful Russian Weapon: The Spread of False Stories

|date=28 August 2016

|first=Neil

|last=MacFarquharaug

|page=A1

|quote=Moscow adamantly denies using disinformation to influence Western public opinion and tends to label accusations of either overt or covert threats as 'Russophobia.'}} Its use has increased since 2000 under Vladimir Putin, particularly after the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia. This style of disinformation propaganda has been described as a "firehose of falsehood" by observers due to its high number of channels and willingness to disseminate outright falsehoods, to the point of inconsistency. It differs from Soviet-era disinformation tactics in its use of the internet, claimed amateur journalism, and social media.{{cite journal |last1=Paul

|first1=Christopher

|last2=Matthews

|first2=Miriam

|title=The Russian "Firehose of Falsehood" Propaganda Model |journal=Perspective

|date=11 July 2016 |url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE198.html

|publisher=RAND Corporation}}

In December 2024, The European Union proposed sanctions targeting over a dozen individuals and three entities for Russian disinformation operations and hybrid activities. Additional sanctions on Belarus were also proposed, targeting individuals linked to human rights abuses or benefiting from ties to President Alexander Lukashenko’s government.{{cite news|last=Nardelli |first=Alberto |title=EU Targets Russian Intelligence With First Disinformation Sanctions |date=13 December 2024 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-13/eu-targets-russian-intelligence-with-first-disinformation-sanctions |website=BBC News |access-date=15 December 2024}}

The European Union and NATO both set up special units to analyze and debunk falsehoods. NATO founded a modest facility in Latvia to respond to disinformation. An agreement by heads of state and governments in March 2015 let the EU create the European External Action Service East Stratcom Task Force, which publishes weekly reports on its website "EU vs Disinfo."{{cite web|url=https://euvsdisinfo.eu/|title=EU vs Disinfo|website=EU vs Disinfo|publisher=European External Action Service East Stratcom Task Force|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-date=6 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206015254/https://euvsdisinfo.eu/}} The website and its partners identified and debunked more than 3,500 pro-Kremlin disinformation cases between September 2015 and November 2017.

In 2016, the US government established the Global Engagement Center (GEC) as an agency within the United States Department of State to counter foreign propaganda efforts.{{citation |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/2943/ |title=S.2943 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 |website=Congress.gov |date=23 December 2016 |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=December 29, 2016 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-public-diplomacy-and-public-affairs/global-engagement-center/

|title=Global Engagement Center

|publisher=United States Department of State

|quote=|access-date=February 24, 2022}}

When explaining the 2016 annual report of the Swedish Security Service on disinformation, spokesman Wilhelm Unge stated: "We mean everything from Internet trolls to propaganda and misinformation spread by media companies like RT and Sputnik." RT and Sputnik were created to focus on Western audiences and function by Western standards, and RT tends to focus on how problems are the fault of Western countries.{{Cite web |last=Moore|first=Cerwyn |date=March 2019 |title=Russia and Disinformation |website=Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats|s2cid=202895613|url=https://crestresearch.ac.uk/resources/russia-and-disinformation-maskirovka-full-report/}} Russia's television outlet RT (formerly known as Russia Today) and the Sputnik news agency are state-sponsored media.

Research has tested methods to debunk the effects of Russian disinformation, particularly in the context of the Russian war against Ukraine. One study examined how inoculation can empower individuals of Russian descent living in the West against pro-Kremlin disinformation.{{Cite journal |last1=Ziemer |first1=Carolin-Theresa |last2=Schmid |first2=Philipp |last3=Betsch |first3=Cornelia |last4=Rothmund |first4=Tobias |date=2024-06-25 |title=Identity is key, but Inoculation helps – how to empower Germans of Russian descent against pro-Kremlin disinformation |url=https://advances.in/psychology/10.56296/aip00015/ |journal=Advances.in/Psychology |language=en |volume=2 |pages=e628359 |doi=10.56296/aip00015 |issn=2976-937X}} The study found that having a Russian identity and being exposed to Russian media is correlated with a heightened susceptibility to disinformation. However, inoculation was shown to improve participants' ability to recognize and perceive disinformation as less credible, heighten perceptions of Russia's responsibility for the war, and strengthen solidarity with Ukraine.

Sergey Yastrzhembsky, who has been called "the keeper of Vladimir Putin’s secrets",{{cite news |last=Whittell |first=Giles |author-link=Giles Whittell |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/sergey-yastrzhembsky-from-the-kremlin-to-africa-r302w6fks6m |title=Sergey Yastrzhembsky: From the Kremlin to Africa: He was the keeper of Vladimir Putin’s secrets. He’s also one of the few to escape from the president’s inner circle |work=The Times |date=30 October 2014 |access-date=28 March 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240706094437/https://www.thetimes.com/article/sergey-yastrzhembsky-from-the-kremlin-to-africa-r302w6fks6m |archive-date=6 July 2024}} is a prominent supporter of Russian disinformation.{{cite news |url=https://lenta.ru/lib/14165403/full.htm |title=Ястржембский, Сергей: Бывший помощник президента РФ и спецпредставитель президента по вопросам развития отношений с Европейским союзом |trans-title=Yastrzhembsky, Sergey: Former Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and Special Representative of the President for the Development of Relations with the European Union |language=ru |work=«Лента.Ру» |date=2020 |access-date=28 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729155459/https://lenta.ru/lib/14165403/full.htm |archive-date=29 July 2020}} In 2014, The Times called him the "spin doctor in chief" for supporting Russia's interests during the Chechen Wars. After the deaths of both Alexander Litvinenko and Anna Politkovskaya, Yastrzhembsky gave numerous misleading statements about both Politkovskaya and Litvinenko and their deaths. Also, Yastrzhembsky has been prominent in his anti-Ukraine efforts including countering the Orange Revolution and supporting Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Dominic |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/putin-ally-sergey-yastrzhembsky-funds-british-pro-hunting-lobby-gxtmsp3qp?region=global |title=Putin ally Sergey Yastrzhembsky funds British pro-hunting group |work=The Times |date=29 June 2022 |access-date=28 March 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250328165914/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/putin-ally-sergey-yastrzhembsky-funds-british-pro-hunting-lobby-gxtmsp3qp?region=global |archive-date=28 March 2025}}

As social media gained prominence in the 2010s, Russia began to use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube to spread disinformation. Russian web brigades and bots, typically operated by Russia's Internet Research Agency (IRA), were commonly used to disseminate disinformation throughout these social media channels.

{{Cite journal

|last1=Ajir

|first1=Media

|last2=Vailliant

|first2=Bethany

|date=2018

|title=Russian Information Warfare: Implications for Deterrence Theory

|journal=Strategic Studies Quarterly

|volume=12

|issue=3

|pages=70–89

|jstor=26481910

|issn=1936-1815

}} In late 2017 Facebook estimated that as many as 126 million of its users had seen content from Russian disinformation campaigns on its platform.

{{Cite news

|last=Ingram

|first=David

|date=2017-10-30

|title=Facebook says 126 million Americans may have seen Russia-linked political posts

|language=en

|work=Reuters

|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-socialmedia-idUSKBN1CZ2OI

|access-date=2020-10-30

}}

Twitter stated that it had found 36,000 Russian bots spreading tweets related to the 2016 United States elections.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/14/564013066/russia-using-disinformation-to-sow-discord-in-west-britains-prime-minister-says|title=Russia Using Disinformation To 'Sow Discord In West,' Britain's Prime Minister Says|work=NPR|access-date=2018-02-20}} Russia has used social media to destabilize former Soviet states such as Ukraine and Western nations such as France and Spain.{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/01/06/508032496/how-russias-disinformation-campaign-could-extend-its-tentacles |title=How Russia's Disinformation Campaign Could Extend Its Tentacles |work=NPR |access-date=2018-02-20}} It has been suggested that since 2019, Russian-sponsored troll accounts and bots have formed and taken over prominent left-wing and right-wing subreddits on Reddit, such as the antiwar, greenandpleasant, and aboringdystopia subreddits, "suggest[ing] a Russian-led attempt to antagonize and influence Americans online, which is still ongoing."{{cite web |last=Naylor |first=Aliide |title=Pro-Putin Disinformation Warriors Take War of Aggression to Reddit |website=CEPA |date=12 December 2023 |url=https://cepa.org/article/pro-putin-disinformation-warriors-take-war-of-aggression-to-reddit/}}

Social media companies have moved to limit Russian disinformation on their platforms. In October 2019, Facebook moved to take down accounts connected to Yevgeny Prigozhin used to interfere with African political affairs.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-31 |title=Facebook Moves to Curb Russian Interference in African Politics |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/africa_facebook-moves-curb-russian-interference-african-politics/6178616.html |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council at the time, said Russia's aim is to make its presence felt in the same way it did during the Cold War, but with a much smaller investment using disinformation campaigns.

In 2020, the US State Department identified several "proxy sites" used by Russian state actors "to create and amplify false narratives." These sites include the Strategic Culture Foundation, New Eastern Outlook, Crimea-based news agency NewsFront and SouthFront, a website targeted at "military enthusiasts, veterans, and conspiracy theorists."{{Cite web |url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Pillars-of-Russia%E2%80%99s-Disinformation-and-Propaganda-Ecosystem_08-04-20.pdf

|title=GEC Special Report: August 2020: Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem

|publisher=United States Department of State

|quote=..this report draws on publicly available reporting to provide an overview of Russia's disinformation and propaganda ecosystem...[which] is the collection of official, proxy, and unattributed communication channels and platforms that Russia uses to create and amplify false narratives.

|date=2020 |access-date=March 8, 2022}}

Russian influence operations, such as the Pravda network, have increasingly spread content that serves as training data for large language models in order to influence the output produced by popular chatbots.{{Cite web |last=McCurdy |first=Will |date=2025-03-08 |title=Russian Disinformation 'Infects' Popular AI Chatbots |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/russian-disinformation-infects-popular-ai-chatbots |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=PCMag |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Fried |first=Ina |date=2025-03-06 |title=AI chatbots echo Russian disinformation, report warns |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/exclusive-russian-disinfo-floods-ai-chatbots-study-finds |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Axios |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Maxwell |first=Thomas |date=2025-03-07 |title=Russia Is 'Grooming' Global AI Models to Cite Propaganda Sources |url=https://gizmodo.com/russia-is-grooming-global-ai-models-to-cite-propaganda-sources-2000573160 |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}

File:MinersForTrump.png

{{main|Internet Research Agency}}

Following the mass protests against the outcomes of the 2011 Russian legislative election organized by several persons, including Pussy Riot, Anton Nossik, and Alexei Navalny, who used Facebook, Twitter, and LiveJournal blogs to organize the events, Vyacheslav Volodin, who was Deputy Prime Minister at the time and later became First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia and was responsible for domestic policy, was tasked with countering these efforts and began to rein in the internet using Prisma ({{langx|ru|«Призма»}}) which "actively tracks the social media activities that result in increased social tension, disorderly conduct, protest sentiments and extremis" by monitoring in real time from more than 60 million feeds about the protesters discussions on blogs and social networks and perform social media tracking which later led to establishing the Internet Research Agency.{{cite news |last=Chen |first=Adrian |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/magazine/the-agency.html |title=The Agency: From a nondescript office building in St. Petersburg, Russia, an army of well-paid "trolls" has tried to wreak havoc all around the Internet — and in real-life American communities. |work=The New York Times |date=2 June 2015 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219110727/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/magazine/the-agency.html}}{{cite news |author1=((Айдар Бурибаев (Buribaev, Aidar) )) |author2=((Роман Баданин (Badanin, Roman) )) |url=https://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/vlast/92590-kak-vlasti-chitayut-vashi-blogi-rassledovanie-forbes |title=Как власти читают ваши блоги: расследование Forbes |trans-title=How authorities read your blogs: Forbes investigation |language=ru |work=Forbes |date=15 August 2012 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=20 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820142747/https://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/vlast/92590-kak-vlasti-chitayut-vashi-blogi-rassledovanie-forbes}}{{cite magazine |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/117771/putins-internet-crackdown-russias-first-blogger-reacts |title=Russia's First Blogger Reacts to Putin's Internet Crackdown |magazine=The New Republic |date=15 May 2014 |access-date=13 April 2022 |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413000758/https://newrepublic.com/article/117771/putins-internet-crackdown-russias-first-blogger-reacts}} Nossik claimed that the Twitter fueled events in 2009 in Moldova known as the Twitter Revolution and the events of Arab Spring, which Igor Sechin blamed Google for masterminding the revolution in Egypt, were not as devastating to Putin as the events of the Snow Revolution during 2011–2012. Putin announced on 24 April 2014 that numerous laws would be enacted to restrict freedoms of expression on the internet through censorship and were signed into law by Putin on 5 May 2014 with enforcement beginning on 1 August 2014, according to Nossik.

Twelve of the thirteen Russian nationals indicted by Robert Mueller for conspiracy meddling in the 2016 United States presidential election were employees of the Internet Research Agency, based in St. Petersburg, Russia.{{cite news |title=Mueller indicts 13 Russian nationals over 2016 election interference |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/16/politics/mueller-russia-indictments-election-interference/index.html |access-date=March 3, 2022 |work=CNN|date=February 17, 2018 |quote=According to the indictment, Prigozhin controlled Concord Catering, a group that funded the Internet Research Agency. By around September 2016, the indictment says, the Internet Research Agency's monthly budget for the project that included the US election interference operation exceeded 73 million Russian rubles, or over $1.25 million.}}{{cite news |title=Exclusive: Putin's 'chef,' the man behind the troll factory |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/17/politics/russian-oligarch-putin-chef-troll-factory/index.html |access-date=March 3, 2022 |work=CNN|date=October 17, 2017 |quote=The Internet Research Agency was based at 55 Savushkina Street in St. Petersburg before it officially ceased operations on December 28, 2016. But investigative journalist Andrei Zakharov, who works for the business media group RBC, says its work continues.}}{{Cite news |last=Chen |first=Adrian |author-link=Adrian Chen |date=2 June 2015 |title=The Agency: From a nondescript office building in St. Petersburg, Russia, an army of well-paid 'trolls' has tried to wreak havoc all around the Internet – and in real-life American communities |work=The New York Times Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/magazine/the-agency.html |access-date=3 June 2015 |issn=0362-4331}}{{efn|The indicted individuals are Dzheykhun Nasimi Ogly Aslanov, Anna Vladislavovna Bogacheva, Maria Anatolyevna Bovda, Robert Sergeyevich Bovda, Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik, Mikhail Ivanovich Bystrov, Irina Viktorovna Kaverzina, Aleksandra Yuryevna Krylova, Vadim Vladimirovich Podkopaev, Sergey Pavlovich Polozov, Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin, Gleb Igorevitch Vasilchenko, and Vladimir Venkov.{{Cite web |title=Indictment in Mueller investigation, February 2018 |url=https://www.justice.gov/file/1035477/download |access-date=31 July 2018}} All of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, 3 are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and 5 defendants are charged with aggravated identity theft. None of the defendants are in custody.{{Cite web |date=16 February 2018 |title=Special counsel Mueller: Russians conducted 'information warfare' against US during election to help Donald Trump win |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/16/russians-indicted-in-special-counsel-robert-muellers-probe.html |access-date=31 July 2018 |publisher=Cnbc.com}}}}{{efn|The Internet Research Agency's American Department was headed by Jeykhun Aslanov, an Azerbaijani who, in October 2017, was 27. Maria Bovda was the previous head of the American Department.{{Cite news |date=17 October 2017 |title=Американское блюдо фабрики Пригожина |language=ru |trans-title=American dish factory Prigogine |work=Rospres |url=https://www.rospres.com/government/22451/ |access-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220063053/https://www.rospres.com/government/22451/ |archive-date=20 December 2019}}{{Cite news |date=26 February 2018 |title=Ольгинский тролль Агата Бурдонова вовремя предала Евгения Пригожина |language=ru |trans-title=The Olginsky troll Agatha Burdonova betrayed Evgeny Prigozhin in time |work=Rospres |url=https://www.rospres.com/specserv/23611 |access-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220051408/https://www.rospres.com/specserv/23611/ |archive-date=20 December 2019}}{{Cite news |author=((Котляр, Евгения (Kotlyar, Evgenia) )) |url=https://tvrain.ru/news/byvshij_menedzher_inostrannogo_otdela-458293/ |title=Бывший менеджер иностранного отдела "фабрики троллей" переехала жить в США: Бывший дежурный менеджер иностранного отдела "Агентства интернет-исследований" ("фабрика троллей") Агата Бурдонова переехала в США. Об этом она рассказала на своей странице во "ВКонтакте". |trans-title=Former manager of the foreign department of the "troll factory" moved to the USA: Former duty manager of the foreign department of the Internet Research Agency ("troll factory") Agata Burdonova moved to the United States. She spoke about this on her page on VKontakte. |language=ru |work=TV Rain |date=24 February 2018 |access-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220054410/https://tvrain.ru/news/byvshij_menedzher_inostrannogo_otdela-458293/ |archive-date=20 December 2019}} In 2019, TV Rain reported that others working in the Foreign Department included Katarina Aistova, Aistova's second assistant Maxim Elfimov, and Agata Burdonova who is an excellent English speaker that moved to Bellevue, Washington on 7 December 2017, obtained a United States social security number and has her own YouTube channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd_Gwwg-6Ao |title=Agata Burdonova YouTube channel |work=YouTube |access-date=24 March 2022}}}}{{efn|In October 2018 Russian accountant Elena Khusyaynova was charged with interference in the 2016 and 2018 US elections. She is alleged{{according to whom|date=April 2022}} to have been working with the IRA. She was said to{{according to whom|date=April 2022}} have managed a $16 million budget.{{cite news |url=http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2018/images/10/19/khusyaynova.complaint.pdf |title=Criminal Complaint against Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova |work=Eastern District of Virginia |via=CNN |date=28 September 2018 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=25 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325010344/http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2018/images/10/19/khusyaynova.complaint.pdf}}}} In the runup to and during the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Russia's Internet Research Agency (IRA) demonstrated evolved tactics for spreading disinformation. Probably to evade the detection mechanisms of social media platforms, the IRA co-opted activists working for a human-rights focused Ghanaian NGO to target black communities in the U.S.{{Cite web|title=IRA in Ghana: Double Deceit|url=https://graphika.com/reports/ira-in-ghana-double-deceit/|access-date=2020-10-30|website=graphika.com|language=en}} Russian campaigns have also evolved to become more cross-platform, with content spreading, not only on Facebook and Twitter, but also on Tumblr, Wordpress, and Medium.{{Cite news|last=Timberg|first=Craig|title=Facebook removes Russian networks tied to intelligence services that interfered in the U.S. in 2016|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/24/facebook-removes-russian-networks-tied-intelligence-services-that-interfered-us-2016/|access-date=2020-10-30|issn=0190-8286}} The IRA is also more emboldened, with evidence that they recruited U.S. journalists to write articles critical of U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden.{{Cite news|last1=Dwoskin|first1=Elizabeth|last2=Timberg|first2=Craig|title=Facebook takes down Russian operation that recruited U.S. journalists, amid rising concerns about election misinformation|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/01/facebook-disinformation-takedown/|access-date=2020-10-30|issn=0190-8286}}

{{main|Russian Institute for Strategic Studies}}

During both the 2016 and the 2020 US elections, the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISI, RISS or RISY; {{langx|ru|Российский институт стратегических исследований - РИСИ}}) was integral to disinformation efforts from Putin and the Kremlin. During the 2016 elections, Leonid Reshetnikov headed RISI, followed by Mikhail Fradkov during the 2020 elections.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Ned |last2=Landay |first2=Jonathan |last3=Walcott |first3=John |title=Putin-linked think tank drew up plan to sway 2016 US election - documents |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-election-exclusive/putin-linked-think-tank-drew-up-plan-to-sway-2016-us-election-documents-idUSKBN17L2N3 |access-date=25 February 2022 |work=Reuters |date=19 April 2017}}{{cite news |author1= ((Лагунина, Ирина (Lagunina, Irina) )) |last2= |author2=((Маетная, Елизавета (Maternaya, Elizabeth) )) |url=http://www.svoboda.org/a/28440991.html |title=Трамп и тайные документы Кремля |trans-title=Trump and secret documents of the Kremlin |language=ru |work=Радио Свобода |date=20 April 2017 |access-date=25 February 2022}} During the 2016 presidential election, George Papadopoulos met several times with Panos Kammenos who had numerous close ties to Russian intelligence, Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin group tasked with interfering in the 2016 United States elections.{{cite news |author=((Κακαουνάκη, Μαριάννα (Kakaounaki, Marianna) )) |url=https://www.kathimerini.gr/world/887392/i-leyki-epitagi-toy-tramp-kai-o-omogenis-symvoylos/ |title=Η λευκή επιταγή του Τραμπ και ο ομογενής σύμβουλος |trans-title=The white check of Trump and the expatriate advisor |language=el |work=Kathimerini |date=11 December 2016 |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922035622/https://www.kathimerini.gr/world/887392/i-leyki-epitagi-toy-tramp-kai-o-omogenis-symvoylos/}}{{cite news |last=Stedman |first=Scott |url=https://medium.com/@ScottMStedman/exclusive-papadopoulos-met-numerous-times-with-greek-leader-with-substantial-ties-to-the-kremlin-7ff3630eb1ef |title=Papadopoulos Met Numerous Times with Greek Leader with Substantial Ties to the Kremlin's 2016 US Interference Campaign |work=Medium (medium.com) |date=4 November 2017 |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=November 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104235106/https://medium.com/@ScottMStedman/exclusive-papadopoulos-met-numerous-times-with-greek-leader-with-substantial-ties-to-the-kremlin-7ff3630eb1ef}}{{cite news |last=Witte |first=Griff |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/for-trump-adviser-at-center-of-russia-probe-a-rapid-rise-and-dramatic-fall-in-his-ancestral-land/2017/12/10/91bb696a-d390-11e7-9ad9-ca0619edfa05_story.html |title=For Trump adviser at center of Russia probe, a rapid rise and dramatic fall in his ancestral land |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=10 December 2017 |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=December 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211035817/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/for-trump-adviser-at-center-of-russia-probe-a-rapid-rise-and-dramatic-fall-in-his-ancestral-land/2017/12/10/91bb696a-d390-11e7-9ad9-ca0619edfa05_story.html}} Kammenos formed the Athens-based Institute of Geopolitical Studies which in November 2014 signed a "memorandum of understanding" with the former SVR officer Reshetnikov who headed RISI.{{cite news |last=Coalson |first=Robert |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/greek-syriza-deep-ties-russian-eurasianist-dugin/26818523.html |title=New Greek Government Has Deep, Long-Standing Ties With Russian 'Fascist' Dugin |work=Radio Free Europe |date=28 January 2015 |access-date=25 February 2022}} In 2009, RISI, which had been an SVR operation, was placed under control of the Russian president with Reshetnikov regularly meeting with Putin and participated in Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections by developing plans of action: for example, with Russian intelligence assets and using a large disinformation campaign, Putin would support Republicans and the Trump campaign and disrupt Democrats and the Clinton campaign, and, if Trump were likely to lose the 2016 election, then Russia would shift its efforts to focus upon voter fraud in the United States in order to undermine the legitimacy of the United States electoral system and the elections.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Ned |last2=Landay |first2=Jonathan |last3=Walcott |first3=John |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-election-exclusive/putin-linked-think-tank-drew-up-plan-to-sway-2016-us-election-documents-idUSKBN17L2N3 |title=Putin-linked think tank drew up plan to sway 2016 US election - documents |work=Reuters |date=19 April 2017 |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=5 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105025344/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-election-exclusive/putin-linked-think-tank-drew-up-plan-to-sway-2016-us-election-documents-idUSKBN17L2N3}} Kammenos' positions followed closely with the Kremlin's talking points.

Johan Backman supports RISI's interests in Northern Europe.{{cite news |last=Higgins |first=Andrew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/world/europe/russia-finland-nato-trolls.html |title=Effort to Expose Russia's 'Troll Army' Draws Vicious Retaliation |work=The New York Times |date=30 May 2016 |access-date=13 April 2022 |archive-date=13 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613023615/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/world/europe/russia-finland-nato-trolls.html}}

Russia's numerous disinformation attacks including support for white supremacist activities and attacks of Biden's mental fitness were utilized by Donald Trump, senior Trump Administration officials, and his re-election campaign.{{cite news |last1=Margolin |first1=Josh |last2=Bruggeman |first2=Lucien |last3=Steakin |first3=Will |last4=Karl |first4=Jonathan |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-withheld-july-intelligence-bulletin-calling-russian-attack/story?id=72747130 |title=DHS withheld July intelligence bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden's mental health: The Trump campaign has repeatedly engaged in a similar line of attack. |work=ABC News |date=1 September 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=10 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910052513/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-withheld-july-intelligence-bulletin-calling-russian-attack/story?id=72747130}}{{cite news |last=Barr |first=Luke |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-spreading-disinformation-bidens-mental-health-dhs/story?id=72879355 |title=Russia spreading disinformation about Biden's mental health: DHS: A previously planned release was withheld by DHS. |work=ABC News |date=8 September 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=10 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910052949/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-spreading-disinformation-bidens-mental-health-dhs/story?id=72879355}}{{cite web |url=https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf |title=Foreign Threats to the 2020 US Federal Elections |work=National Intelligence Council (NIC) |date=10 March 2021 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=16 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316181540/https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf}}{{cite news |last=Behrmann |first=Savannah |title=Acting DHS secretary: White supremacy is 'most persistent and lethal threat' internally to US |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/23/dhs-secretary-white-supremacy-poses-persistent-and-lethal-threat/3511913001/ |work=USA Today |date=24 September 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=24 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924133548/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/23/dhs-secretary-white-supremacy-poses-persistent-and-lethal-threat/3511913001/}} Brian Murphy, who was acting chief of intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security from March 2018 until August 2020, said that he was instructed "to cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference in the United States, and instead start reporting on interference activities by China and Iran."{{cite news |last1=Siegel |first1=Benjamin |last2=Margolin |first2=Josh |last3=Bruggeman |first3=Lucien |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/whistleblower-details-alleged-politicization-intelligence-dhs/story?id=72904622 |title=Whistleblower details alleged politicization of intelligence at DHS: Complaint filed with watchdog includes claims of interference in intelligence. |work=ABC News |date=9 September 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=10 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910052450/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/whistleblower-details-alleged-politicization-intelligence-dhs/story?id=72904622}} Chad Wolf, who was acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said that Robert O'Brien, who was President Trump's national security advisor, had the assessments of Russian interference suppressed.{{cite news |last1=Shesgreen |first1=Deirdre |last2=Wu |first2=Nicholas |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/09/whistleblower-trump-officials-pressured-him-downplay-russia-threat/5762527002/ |title=Intelligence whistleblower says he was pressured to downplay threats from Russia, white supremacists |work=USA Today |date=9 September 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=27 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927022701/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/09/whistleblower-trump-officials-pressured-him-downplay-russia-threat/5762527002/}} John Cohen, who was under secretary of intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security during Barack Obama's presidency, stated "By blocking information from being released that describes threats facing the nation... undermines the ability of the public and state and local authorities to work with the federal government to counteract the threat."

In February 2024, an investigation published by a coalition of journals including VSquare, Delfi, Expressen and Paper Trail Media stated that the Internet Development Institute ({{langx|ru|Институт развития интернета}}, IRI) was funded the equivalent of about {{currency|220|EUR}} million from the Russian Federation budget to produce "patriotic mobile games, TV series, and movies". In 2024, the IRI was allocated the equivalent of {{currency|180|EUR}} million. The IRI was required to make every film premiering before the 2024 Russian presidential election evoke feelings in favour of one of four goals: either defending national/cultural/traditional values; showing a permanent trend of improvements in the quality of life in Russia; contemporary Russian heroes; or a fourth theme, "we are together" for Russian-occupied territories.{{cite Q|Q124672623|url-status=live}}

The IRI created a 15-member editorial department in late 2022 to reduce the risk that the cultural works made by IRI could diverge from their "intended meaning". {{ill|Martin Kragh|sv}} of the Center for East European Studies in Stockholm described this as following the pattern of political commissars, stating, "Everything we see in these documents is completely Soviet".

Lev Parnas, Igor Fruman, Yuriy Lutsenko, John Solomon, Dmytro Firtash and his allies, Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova were noted in a Fox News internal report Ukraine, Disinformation, & the Trump Administration: a Full Timeline of Events, which was written by Fox News senior political affairs specialist Bryan S. Murphy and made public by Marcus DiPaola,{{efn|The briefing book Ukraine, Disinformation, & the Trump Administration: a Full Timeline of Events by Bryan S. Murphy was first made public by Marcus J. DiPaola. DiPaola was employed by Fox News for three years and was a former freelance producer. DiPaola claims that after he provided information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in January 2019, Fox News let him go under unusual circumstances.

{{cite news

|last=Kalmbacher

|first=Colin

|url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/fox-news-internal-memo-admits-rudy-giuliani-spreads-disinformation/

|title=Fox News Internal 'Briefing Book' Admits Rudy Giuliani Spreads 'Disinformation'

|work=Law&Crime (lawandcrime.com)

|date=6 February 2020

|access-date=4 March 2022

|archive-date=5 March 2022

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305015312/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/fox-news-internal-memo-admits-rudy-giuliani-spreads-disinformation/

|quote="The document's existence was first made public by three-year Fox News veteran and former freelance producer Marcus DiPaola, who says he left the network under suspicious circumstances—after providing information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation—in January of last year."

}}

{{cite news

|last1=Sommer

|first1=Will

|last2=Tani

|first2=Maxwell

|last3=Kirell

|first3=Andrew

|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-internal-document-bashes-john-solomon-joe-digenova-and-rudy-giuliani-for-spreading-disinformation

|title=Fox News Internal Document Bashes Pro-Trump Fox Regulars for Spreading 'Disinformation'

|work=The Daily Beast |date=6 February 2020 |access-date=4 March 2022

|archive-date=7 February 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207180035/https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-internal-document-bashes-john-solomon-joe-digenova-and-rudy-giuliani-for-spreading-disinformation

}}

{{cite news

|last=DiPaola

|first=Marcus J. |url=https://twitter.com/marcusdipaola/status/1225433935183843335 |title=Here's the front page of the internal Fox News Trump-Ukraine timeline. I'll start tweeting some of the highlights shortly. |work=Twitter

|date=8 February 2020

|access-date=4 March 2022

|archive-date=8 February 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208055834/https://twitter.com/marcusdipaola/status/1225433935183843335

}} Based on a 9 December 2019 update of the document.

{{cite news

|last=Keys

|first=Matthew

|url=https://thedesk.net/2020/02/brain-room-trump-ukraine-full-book-download/

|title=Here's the full Fox News "Brain Room" book on Trump-connected "disinformation campaign" |work=The Desk |date=6 February 2020

|access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=5 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305010152/https://thedesk.net/2020/02/brain-room-trump-ukraine-full-book-download/

}} Based on a 9 December 2019 update of the document.}} as indispensable "in the collection and domestic publication of elements of this disinformation campaign" and numerous falsehoods.

{{cite news

|last=O'Neil

|first=Luke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/feb/07/fox-news-internal-briefing-disinformation-contributors

|title=Fox News guests spread 'disinformation' – says leaked internal memo: Among those named in document are frequent guests Rudy Giuliani, John Solomon, Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova

|work=The Guardian

|date=7 February 2020

|access-date=4 March 2022

}}

{{cite news

|last1=Falzone

|first1=Diana

|last2=Grove

|first2=Lloyd

|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-lobotomizes-its-brain-room-cuts-fact-based-journalism |title=Fox News Lobotomizes Its 'Brain Room,' Cuts Fact-Based Journalism: 'NOT INTERESTED IN FACTS.' Staffers said the recent layoffs gutting Fox News' fact-checking team were a victory for the network's right-wing opinion shows and further cemented its status as "state media."

|work=The Daily Beast

|date=28 September 2020

|access-date=4 March 2022

|archive-date=17 February 2022

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217191524/https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-lobotomizes-its-brain-room-cuts-fact-based-journalism

}}

{{cite news

|last1=Sisak

|first1=Michael R.

|last2=Balsamo

|first2=Michael

|last3=Tucker

|first3=Eric

|url=https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-trump-investigation-warrant-7a413e1bbb819cb52cd402d64a982185 |title=Feds raid Giuliani's home, office, escalating criminal probe

|work=Associated Press

|date=28 April 2021

|access-date=4 March 2022

|archive-date=15 February 2022

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215112443/https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-trump-investigation-warrant-7a413e1bbb819cb52cd402d64a982185

}}

On 3 February 2022, John "Jack" Hanick, who helped establish that Konstantin Malofeev owned Tsargrad TV in 2015, allegedly was working to establish similar networks in Greece and Bulgaria, and worked at Fox News as a founding producer and news director from 1996 to 2011, was arrested in London for violating sanctions against Malofeev.{{cite news |last=Dugan |first=Kevin T. |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/exfox-news-producer-indicted-for-work-with-russian-oligarch.html |title=Ex–Fox News Director Indicted for Working With Russian Oligarch |work=New York (nymag.com) |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324232352/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/exfox-news-producer-indicted-for-work-with-russian-oligarch.html}}{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tv-producer-russian-oligarch-charged-violating-crimea-related-sanctions |title=TV Producer for Russian Oligarch Charged with Violating Crimea-Related Sanctions |work=United States Department of Justice |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303193953/https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tv-producer-russian-oligarch-charged-violating-crimea-related-sanctions|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Lahut |first=Jake |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-director-indictment-russia-oligarch-tv-channel-tsargrad-2022-3 |title=Ex-Fox News director indicted for allegedly helping a Russian oligarch start pro-Putin Tsargrad TV network: report |work=Business Insider |date=4 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=4 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304211359/https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-director-indictment-russia-oligarch-tv-channel-tsargrad-2022-3}}{{cite news |last1=Shanahan |first1=Ed |last2=Weiser |first2=Benjamin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/nyregion/fox-producer-sanctions-russian-oligarch.html |title=Ex-Fox News Producer Broke Law With Work for Russian Oligarch, U.S. Says: John Hanick was on Konstantin Malofeev's payroll after Mr. Malofeev's backing of Crimean separatists led to sanctions, an indictment says. |work=The New York Times |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=25 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325002718/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/nyregion/fox-producer-sanctions-russian-oligarch.html}}{{cite news |last=Pagliery |first=Jose |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-fox-news-producter-for-sean-hannity-jack-hanick-indicted-for-helping-russia |title=Former Fox News Director Jack Hanick Indicted for Helping Russia: FOX HOLE. An American TV producer was arrested in London and now faces criminal charges for working with a sanctioned Russian billionaire. He used to work for Fox News. |work=The Daily Beast |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324225248/https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-fox-news-producter-for-sean-hannity-jack-hanick-indicted-for-helping-russia}}{{cite magazine |last=Dickinson |first=Tim |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/jack-hanick-indictment-putin-russia-propaganda-fox-news-1317789/ |title= How a Former Fox News Director Landed in Jail for Pushing Putin Propaganda: He fell in love with Mother Russia — and an oligarch's gravy train. But a disregard for sanctions and lying to the FBI could land him in prison for years |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=7 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=25 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325004204/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/jack-hanick-indictment-putin-russia-propaganda-fox-news-1317789/}}{{efn|Through Malofeev, Hanick is close to the pro Russia former Greek defense minister Panos Kammenos and Vladimir Putin gives carte blanche to Tsargrad TV which according to Malofeev is the Russian equivalent to Fox News.{{cite news |last=Weaver |first=Courtney |url=https://www.ft.com/content/27125702-71ec-11e5-ad6d-f4ed76f0900a |title=God's TV, Russian style: Meet Konstantin Malofeev — the devout and fervently pro-Putin founder of Orthodox channel Tsargrad TV |work=Financial Times |date=16 October 2015 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=14 December 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161214141205/https://www.ft.com/content/27125702-71ec-11e5-ad6d-f4ed76f0900a |url-status=live }}}} Hanick was the first person criminally indicted for violating United States sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{cite news |last=Spocchia |first=Gino |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/fox-news-crimea-russian-oligarch-b2028644.html |title=Former Fox News director indicted for violating Crimea sanctions and helping Russian billionaire: Justice Department vows end to 'Russian aggression' with first Crimea-linked sanctions violation |work=The Independent |date=8 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=18 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318211048/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/fox-news-crimea-russian-oligarch-b2028644.html}}

During the Russo-Ukrainian War, Russian state TV channel Russia-1 has used Tucker Carlson interviews on Fox News to support the Kremlin's objectives in Ukraine. Carlson's interview with the pro-Russia Retired Colonel Doug Macgregor was aired on Russia-1 to demoralize Ukraine.{{cite news |last=Reed |first=Brad |url=https://www.salon.com/2022/03/04/russian-state-tv-uses-tucker-carlson-to-demoralize-ukraine_partner/ |title=Russian state TV uses Tucker Carlson to "demoralize" Ukraine: Russian state TV uses clips of Tucker Carlson's favorite pro-Putin US colonel to 'demoralize' Ukraine |work=Salon |date=4 March 2022 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324231629/https://www.salon.com/2022/03/04/russian-state-tv-uses-tucker-carlson-to-demoralize-ukraine_partner/}} Another interview by Carlson of Tulsi Gabbard, who often appears on Fox News as a guest, was shown on Russia-1 to support the Kremlin's position in which Gabbard said "President Biden could end this crisis and prevent a war with Russia by doing something very simple: guaranteeing that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO, because if Ukraine became a member of NATO, that would put U.S. and NATO troops directly on the doorstep of Russia, which — as Putin has laid out — would undermine their national security." Russia-1 removed parts of the interview before Gabbard said, "The reality is that it is highly, highly unlikely that Ukraine will ever become a member of NATO anyway."{{cite news |last=Mackey |url=https://theintercept.com/2022/02/24/russian-tv-uses-tucker-carlson-tulsi-gabbard-sell-putins-war/ |title=Russian TV Uses Tucker Carlson and Tulsi Gabbard to Sell Putin's War: Fox News clips of Tucker Carlson and Tulsi Gabbard trashing Ukraine and the Biden administration were a mainstay of news coverage this week on Russian state television. |work=The Intercept |date=25 February 2022 |access-date=25 March 2022}} Additionally, numerous clips of Carlson have appeared on RT, which was formerly known as Russia Today or Rossiya Segodnya, that support the Kremlin's objectives.

{{excerpt|Russian information war against Ukraine|templates=-Copy edit}}

The Washington Post reported in April 2024 that the Russian foreign ministry was using disinformation to weaken Western countries, in particular the United States,{{Cite news |last1=Belton |first1=Catherine |date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=June 6, 2024 |title=Secret Russian foreign policy document urges action to weaken the U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/17/russia-foreign-policy-us-weaken/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}} of which Russia objects its capitalist ideology{{Cite news |title=Putin and Xi Exposed the Great Illusion of Capitalism |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-03-24/ukraine-war-has-russia-s-putin-xi-jinping-exposing-capitalism-s-great-illusion |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Bloomberg|date=24 March 2022 }} on the basis of its commitment to uphold the Marxist–Leninist ideology.{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Lee |title=Putin the Marxist-Leninist |url=https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/putin-the-marxist-leninist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607134832/https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/putin-the-marxist-leninist |url-status=unfit |archive-date=7 June 2022 |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=The Heritage Foundation |language=en}} The document was said to be the first official confirmation of such policies and the Post noted Russian attempts to disrupt American and European domestic politics.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=France uncovers massive Russian disinformation campaign |url=https://www.computing.co.uk/news/4174136/france-uncovers-massive-russian-disinformation-campaign |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=www.computing.co.uk |language=en}} The Post said this was done to shift the balance of power to Russia and other Second World countries such as China, Iran and North Korea. The Guardian reported Russia was seeking to spread conspiracy theories among the American far right to undermine support for Ukraine.{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Peter |date=2023-03-16 |title=Russia disinformation looks to US far right to weaken Ukraine support |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/16/russia-disinformation-us-far-right-republicans-ukraine |access-date=2024-05-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Voice of America reported that Russian disinformation campaigns have focused on promoting American isolationism, tensions between various races as well as border security concerns.

The Telegraph reported that Russia and China were promoting pro-Palestinian influencers in order to manipulate British public opinion in favor of Russian and Chinese interests.{{Cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Camilla |last2=Lisbona |first2=Natalie |date=2024-05-18 |title=Russia and China 'manipulating UK public opinion by promoting pro-Palestinian influencers' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/05/18/russia-china-manipulate-uk-public-opinion-pro-palestine/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

Following the 2023 death of Yevgenny Prigozhin who supported the Internet Research Agency, Microsoft identified several "troll farms" that support Russian disinformation efforts. According to Microsoft, Storm-1516 are Russian disinformation efforts about Ukraine often associated with the anti-liberal think tank Center for Geopolitical Expertise during the Russo-Ukrainian War that often use "Doppelganger" operations. Ruza Flood (a.k.a. Doppelganger2), Storm-1679, Storm-1841 (a.k.a. Rybar) and Storm-1099 are Russian disinformation efforts about the United States during the 2024 United States elections. In Belarus in January 2024, Andrii Derkach, who was associated with NABU Leaks in 2020, gave an interview which was uploaded to social media with false claims about Biden in order to undermine Biden's support for Ukraine.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/russian-disinformation-2024-election-storm-1516/index.html |title=This is how a Russian disinformation campaign starts. |work=NBC News |date=16 October 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241016210114/https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/russian-disinformation-2024-election-storm-1516/index.html |archive-date=16 October 2024}}{{cite news |last=Hanks |first=Micah |url=https://thedebrief.org/russian-disinformation-on-the-rise-as-u-s-election-approaches/ |title=Russian Disinformation On the Rise as U.S. Election Approaches |work=TheDebrief.org |date=17 October 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241017213753/https://thedebrief.org/russian-disinformation-on-the-rise-as-u-s-election-approaches/ |archive-date=17 October 2024}}{{cite news |last=Goodin |first=Dan |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/04/russian-us-election-interference-sowing-discord-over-ukraine-kicks-into-gear/ |title=Kremlin-backed actors spread disinformation ahead of US elections: To a lesser extent, China and Iran also peddle disinfo in hopes of influencing voters. |work=arstechnica.com |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417222914/https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/04/russian-us-election-interference-sowing-discord-over-ukraine-kicks-into-gear/ |archive-date=17 April 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/5/2024/04/MTAC-Report-Elections-Report-Nation-states-engage-in-US-focused-influence-operations-ahead-of-US-presidential-election-04172024.pdf |title=Nation-states engage in US-focused influence operations ahead of US presidential election |work=Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) Report |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417175345/https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/5/2024/04/MTAC-Report-Elections-Report-Nation-states-engage-in-US-focused-influence-operations-ahead-of-US-presidential-election-04172024.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian E. |last2=Myers |first2=Steven Lee |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/politics/russia-disinformation-election.html |title=Russian Disinformation Videos Smear Biden Ahead of U.S. Election: Many of the videos are trying to appeal to right-wing voters with fake messages about President Biden, experts say. |work=New York Times |date=15 May 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240605072726/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/politics/russia-disinformation-election.html |archive-date=5 June 2024}}{{cite news |last=Clarke |first=Helen |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-reveals-russian-threat-actors-131509711.html |title=Microsoft reveals Russian threat actors’ influence over US election |work=finance.yahoo.com |date=12 August 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241017214054/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-reveals-russian-threat-actors-131509711.html?guccounter=1 |archive-date=17 October 2024}}{{cite news |last=Clarke |first=Helen |url=https://www.verdict.co.uk/microsoft-reveals-russian-threat-actors-influence-over-us-election/ |title=Microsoft reveals Russian threat actors’ influence over US election: As the 2024 US presidential election campaign continues, online threat actors step up their own misinformation campaigns. |work=Verdict |date=12 August 2024 |access-date=17 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241017214646/https://www.verdict.co.uk/microsoft-reveals-russian-threat-actors-influence-over-us-election/?cf-view |archive-date=17 October 2024}}

In September 2024, the United States Justice Department asserted that Sergey Kiriyenko had created some 30 internet domains to spread Russian disinformation, including on Elon Musk’s X which was formerly known as Twitter. In October 2024, the Wall Street Journal disclosed that Musk had been in contact with Kiriyenko and Vladimir Putin which Dmitry Peskov affirmed.{{cite news |last1=Grove |first1=Thomas |last2=Strobel |first2=Warren P. |last3=Viswanatha |first3=Aruna |last4=Lubold |first4=Gordon |last5=Schechner |first5=Sam |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/musk-putin-secret-conversations-37e1c187 |title=Elon Musk’s Secret Conversations With Vladimir Putin: Regular contacts between world’s richest man and America’s chief antagonist raise security concerns; topics include geopolitics, business and personal matters |work=Wall Street Journal |date=25 October 2024 |access-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241029164052/https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/musk-putin-secret-conversations-37e1c187 |archive-date=29 October 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Simmons |first1=Ann M. |last2=Grove |first2=Thomas |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/putin-aide-russia-propaganda-us-election-3b3ef3d2 |title=The Putin Propaganda Chief Who the U.S. Says Is Now After American Minds: The Justice Department has named Sergei Kiriyenko as the curator of some 30 internet domains aimed at misleading U.S. voters |work=Wall Street Journal |date=6 September 2024 |access-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240906135431/https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/putin-aide-russia-propaganda-us-election-3b3ef3d2 |archive-date=6 September 2024}}

• Active measures
• Communist propaganda
• Disinformation in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Media freedom in Russia
• Soviet disinformation
• State-sponsored Internet propaganda
• Strength is in truth
• Vulkan files leak

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://euvsdisinfo.eu/ EU vs Disinfo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206015254/https://euvsdisinfo.eu/ |date=2017-12-06 }} and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124021403/http://www.eeas.europa.eu/euvsdisinfo/ archived website] from 24 November 2015

{{Disinformation}}

{{Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections}}

Category:Psychological warfare techniques

Category:Propaganda in Russia

Category:21st century in Russia