Germany uncovers pro-Russian disinformation campaign on X
Germany has identified a vast “pro-Russian disinformation campaign” using thousands of fake X accounts and aiming to stoke anger over country’s support for Ukraine, claims Der Spiegel.
Experts commissioned by the German Foreign Ministry used specialized software to monitor messages published on the online platform X between December 20 and January 20, the weekly writes. They allegedly came across more than 50,000 fake user accounts who together posted more than a million messages in German on X.
Among the recurring themes of their messages was the accusation that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government was neglecting his country’s people to help Ukraine in its war against Russia, according to Der Spiegelwho says he relies on extracts from the investigation.
The accounts also often link to fake news on websites designed to resemble those of authentic news outlets, according to the Spiegel.
Experts believe their discovery is part of the disinformation campaign “ Doppelgänger”, attributed to Russia as part of its “hybrid warfare” against the West and well known to the authorities.
Asked at a regular press conference, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the article. Misinformation is “become a global threat factor”aimed at destabilizing Western societies, including in Germany, she commented.
These revelations come in a context of growing concern about the dangers of increasingly sophisticated disinformation: in 2024, almost half of the planet will be affected by elections. In June, some 400 million people in the European Union are called to the polls for the European Parliament election.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, warned this week that 2024 would be a “crucial year” in the fight against disinformation emanating from actors such as Russia. The World Economic Forum recently estimated that disinformation is among the greatest risks to humanity, with its widespread use potentially “undermining the legitimacy of newly elected governments”.