Security

Congregants attend an Orthodox Christmas Eve service in a chapel located in a former residential building in the town of Volnovakha, Russian-controlled Donetsk, January 6, 2023. (SOURCE: Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko/TPX)

Fri, Jan 6, 2023

Russian War Report: Russian military bloggers criticize Putin’s Orthodox Christmas ceasefire announcement

In the first days of 2023, Russia shelled civilian infrastructure in Ukraine before Russian President Putin called for a 36 hour ceasefire to observe Orthodox Christmas.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Putin takes notes during annual nuclear drills, October 26, 2022.

Fri, Oct 28, 2022

Pro-Kremlin media praise Putin’s leadership overseeing nuclear drills

Kremlin media emphasized Putin’s leadership role conducting annual Grom nuclear drills.

by Nika Aleksejeva

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
A man walks by graffiti of the letter Z in St. Petersburg, March 4, 2022. The pro-war symbol is prominently featured on two of the ten most popular political Telegram channels in Russia.

Fri, Oct 21, 2022

What Russia reads on Telegram

Nine out of the top ten political Telegram channels in Russia spread Kremlin pro-war propaganda

by Eto Buziashvili

Disinformation Electorate

Wed, Oct 19, 2022

Footage raises additional questions about Wagner presence in Sudan

Videos allegedly show Wagner personnel training Sudanese Army and RSF paramilitary forces.

by Tessa Knight, Mattia Caniglia, Ruslan Trad

Africa Business

Fri, Jul 29, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia minimizes Ukrainian damage of strategic bridge in Kherson

During a video speech on July 27, Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian military had disabled the Antonovsky bridge in Kherson to the point that was no longer usable by occupying Russian forces. The bridge has been targeted by Ukrainian forces for more than a week. While it remains standing, it has been hit multiple times by high-precision HIMARS munitions provided by the US.  

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Crisis Management

Fri, Jul 8, 2022

Wagner Group continues involvement in Russian operations in Eastern Ukraine

Russian mercenaries maintaining a relatively low profile in Ukraine, unlike their presence in Africa and Syria.

by Ruslan Trad

Africa Conflict

Thu, Jul 7, 2022

Russian War Report: Ukraine uses HIMARS effectively to hit Russian ammo dumps

As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) is keeping a close eye on Russia’s movements across the military, cyber, and information domains. With more than seven years of experience monitoring the situation in Ukraine—as well as Russia’s use of propaganda and disinformation to undermine the United States, NATO, and the European Union—the DFRLab’s global team presents the latest installment of the Russian War Report.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict CrowdTangle

Wed, May 18, 2022

How Russia attempts to widen its arsenal of pro-war propaganda

Kremlin seeks to maintain domestic support by marketing patriotic symbols and slogans, from the letter Z to “I am not ashamed."

by Eto Buziashvili

Botnets Conflict
A network map of tweets containing the phrase #istandwithputin or istandwithputin between February 23, 2022 and March 4, 2022.

Thu, Mar 10, 2022

IStandWithPutin hashtag trends amid dubious amplification efforts

Over the week of February 28, 2022, the hashtag #IStandWithPutin trended in several regions, but a deeper look at the origin and amplification of the hashtag suggested this support was artificial.

by Jean le Roux

Africa Botnets
Geolocating areas of Kharkiv damaged by Russian shelling.

Mon, Feb 28, 2022

Geolocating Russia’s indiscriminate shelling of Kharkiv

February 28 shelling from Russia into Kharkiv resulted in at least eleven deaths in three separate neighborhoods.

by Michael J. Sheldon

Conflict Eastern Europe

Tue, Feb 22, 2022

Russian War Report: Despite debunking of false flags, Putin recognizes breakaway republics

The Council's open-source researchers break down how the Kremlin is seeking to justify incursions in Ukraine, and where the troops are moving.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Fri, Feb 18, 2022

Russian War Report: Evacuations begin in Ukrainian breakaway regions

The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab tracks Kremlin allegations of mass graves in Donbas, troop movements, and more.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab