Government

Orekhovo border outpost, constructed by Belarus near the Ukrainian border.

Wed, Jan 12, 2022

Belarus strengthening its borders with Ukraine and Lithuania

OSINT reveals new Belarusian outpost near Ukrainian border, joint air patrols with the Russian Air Force near Lithuania.

by Lukas Andriukaitis

Belarus Geolocation
An Indian Army convoy moves along a highway leading to Ladakh, at Gagangeer in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, June 18, 2020.

Thu, Jan 6, 2022

Social media and security dynamics in the ongoing India-China border dispute

False narratives underline dangers posed by disinformation as a means of stoking hostility between nuclear-armed neighbors.

by

China Facebook
Illustration from Russian policy document regarding procedures to bury large numbers of bodies.

Thu, Dec 23, 2021

Russia’s not-so-subtle policy update raises specter of mass burials

Russian policy document describes new procedures for the mass burial of corpses amidst rising tensions with Ukraine and NATO.

by Lukas Andriukaitis

Government Government

Wed, Dec 22, 2021

China’s COVID-19 messaging makes its way to South Africa

China leverages its investment in the South African media space to push Beijing-approved narratives and conspiracies.

by Kenton Thibaut

Africa China
SAR imagery of a camp in Valuyki, a Russian town located approximately 15 km from the Ukraine border.

Fri, Dec 17, 2021

Russia continues to expand military presence near Ukraine border

Satellite imagery and open-source evidence reveals ongoing Russian buildup along their border with Ukrain

by Michael J. Sheldon

Conflict Geolocation
Rotated image from a TV Zvezda video of the exercise allowed the DFRLab to geolocate the area with precision.

Fri, Dec 10, 2021

Evidence shows Russia and Belarus holding paratrooper drill near Lithuanian border

The DFRLab geolocated the joint military drill as taking place just 15 kilometers from the Lithuanian border.

by Lukas Andriukaitis

Belarus Geolocation
Screenshots of Buk-M3, 2S1, and other equipment from the 34th MRB moving to Kerch, Crimea, with the Russian word for “rushed” superimposed on them. (Source: TikTok)

Wed, Dec 8, 2021

How Russia is placing troops and equipment near the Ukraine border

Open-source evidence throughout 2021 shows Russian military buildup along Ukraine’s eastern borders and in Crimea.

by Michael J. Sheldon

Geolocation Government
(Source: REUTERS/Maynor Valenzuela)

Fri, Nov 5, 2021

Multi-platform troll farm linked to Nicaraguan government

Inauthentic network targeted domestic audiences in the lead-up to Nicaragua’s November 2021 general election

by Daniel Suárez Pérez, Esteban Ponce de León, Luiza Bandeira

CrowdTangle Electorate
Vladimir Putin

Tue, Sep 21, 2021

Navalny’s “Smart Voting” election campaign undermined by fake apps and Telegram channels

Apps and Telegram channels impersonated their pro-Navalny counterparts, potentially redirecting voters away from strategic voting advice

by Eto Buziashvili

Elections Eurasia
Protesters marching against the conflict in Tigray hold placards with the hashtag #TigrayGenocide in New York City on March 25, 2021. (Source: Reuters/John Lamparski/SIPA USA)

Fri, Apr 23, 2021

Ethiopian diaspora groups organize click-to-tweet Tigray campaigns amid information scarcity

Social media campaigns promoted pro-government and anti-conflict narratives to capture attention from an international audience.

by Tessa Knight

Africa Conflict
A man walks past a graffiti of Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine in Kampala, Uganda, January 17, 2021. (Source: REUTERS/Baz Ratner)

Mon, Feb 22, 2021

Prominent Ugandan news websites implicated in government-aligned social media campaign

Websites implicated in Facebook takedown that involved government employees engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior.

by Tessa Knight, Alyssa Kann

Africa Disinformation
Banner: Supporters of Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement party drive around Kampala on boda bodas (motorcycles) following the announcement that Yoweri Museveni has won the sixth term as president. Uganda’s elections, on January 14, 2021, were the most tense in decades. (Photo by Sally Hayden / SOPA Images/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)

Wed, Feb 10, 2021

Facebook removes inauthentic assets linked to Ugandan government

Facebook removed content engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior six days before Uganda’s presidential election.

by Tessa Knight

Africa Brigading