Non-State Political Actor

Fri, Apr 8, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia makes false claims while blaming Ukraine for Kramatorsk railway station attack

After missiles struck near Kramatorsk, Ukraine railway station, Russia tried to blame Ukraine for attacking its own people, a narrative pro-Kremlin media ran with.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

The War on Fakes Telegram channel (left) uses common fact-checking tropes, such as stamping images with the word “FAKE” in large red letters (right) to convey a sense of legitimacy.

Mon, Mar 7, 2022

Russian Telegram channel embraces fact-checking tropes to spread disinformation

The War on Fakes Telegram channel pushes false and misleading content in defense of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

by Ingrid Dickinson

Business Conflict
Belarusian protesters from the organization Women of Minsk openly protest the invasion of Ukraine. (Source: @Tsihanouskaya/Twitter)

Fri, Mar 4, 2022

Russian War Report: Global crackdown on Russian state-affiliated media continues as Russia blocks Facebook

In response to the invasion of Ukraine, governments and corporations have implemented new regulations and policies to mitigate the reach of Russian state-affiliated media within their borders and on their services. 

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Malians holds a Russian flag and a photograph with an image of coup leader Colonel Assimi Goita during a pro-Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) demonstration in Bamako, Mali, May 28, 2021.

Thu, Feb 17, 2022

Pro-Russian Facebook assets in Mali coordinated support for Wagner Group, anti-democracy protests

Coordinated network promoted military junta in months leading up to France’s decision to withdraw from the country.

by Jean le Roux

Africa CrowdTangle
The newly unveiled statue in Bangui, Central African Republic, features two Russian mercenaries up front with CAR soldiers behind them to the left and right.

Mon, Dec 20, 2021

First Russian mercenary statue in Africa identified in the Central African Republic

Newly surfaced photos confirm a new statue commemorating Russian mercenaries in the heart of Bangui, CAR’s capital city.

by Lukas Andriukaitis

Africa Central Africa
Vigilantes armed with clubs stand guard at a neighborhood in Bole following the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s call for citizens to protect their areas from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), November 19, 2021.

Fri, Dec 17, 2021

Influential Ethiopian social media accounts stoke violence along ethnic lines

Proliferation of hate speech on social media has the capacity to cause real-world harm amidst an increasingly violent civil war.

by Tessa Knight

Conflict East Africa

Mon, Nov 15, 2021

Suspicious Twitter accounts amplified hashtags ahead of Polish nationalist march

Accounts promoting a nationalist march in Poland exhibited multiple indicators raising questions of their authenticity.

by Givi Gigitashvili

Eastern Europe Government
People queue up outside a mass vaccination centre as Latvia opens walk in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination scheme in Riga, Latvia, April 16, 2021.

Wed, Nov 10, 2021

Anti-government activists in Latvia openly recruit anonymous trolls

Previous activities involved active amplification of COVID-19 disinformation and conspiracies.

by Nika Aleksejeva

Baltics Buzzsumo
(Source: REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Thu, Oct 28, 2021

Sudanese Facebook network promoting paramilitary group removed month before coup

Inauthentic FB assets linked to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces operated for years; some admins based in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

by Tessa Knight

Conflict East Africa
Yevgeny Prighozin.

Thu, Jun 3, 2021

Inauthentic Facebook assets promoted Russian interests in Sudan

Network with links to Russia’s Internet Research Agency promoted oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian naval presence in Sudan

by Tessa Knight

Democratic Transitions Facebook
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