Social Media

Mon, Jul 24, 2023

Pro-Russia actors target Armenia with anti-Ukraine propaganda

Suspicious quotes magnified by pro-Russian sources used to undermine Ukraine's reputation in Armenia

by , Roman Osadchuk

Armenia Conflict

Thu, Jul 20, 2023

Russian War Report: Wagner is still in business in Africa

Despite their Russia-based forces being relocated to Belarus after their failed mutiny, Wagner Group is still alive and active in Africa, including ahead of a referendum in the Central African Republic.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Marina Tauber, leader of the opposition pro-Russian political party Shor, delivers a speech during a hearing of the Constitutional Court in Chisinau, Moldova, June 19, 2023. (Source: Reuters/Vladislav Culiomza)

Tue, Jul 11, 2023

Inauthentic Facebook campaign promoted pro-Russian Shor Party messaging in Moldova

The campaign sponsored ads in support of convicted oligarch Ilan Shor and used fake accounts to target Moldova's pro-European government

by Victoria Olari, Iain Robertson

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Tue, Jul 11, 2023

Cross-platform kompromat campaign targets detained activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and several female Azerbaijani activists

Kompromat campaign against Azerbaijani activists disseminated on Telegram and amplified on other platforms

Azerbaijan Civil Society
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Tereshchenko/Pool via REUTERS

Mon, Jul 10, 2023

Chinese social media messaging downplays significance of Wagner mutiny

Beijing promoted the view that Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny was a one-off event and emphasized Russia’s “return to normal,” lending further legitimacy to its support for Russia and their deepening partnership

by Kenton Thibaut

China Propaganda

Fri, Jul 7, 2023

Russian War Report: Russian conspiracy alleges false flag at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Allegations of a supposedly US and Ukraine-planned false flag operation on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant spread across social media ahead of the NATO Summit.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Banner: Human rights activist Gamal Eid is seen at a court in Cairo, March 24, 2016. (Source: Reuters/Asmaa Waguih)

Thu, Jul 6, 2023

Egyptian human rights defender repeatedly targeted by suspicious Twitter network 

Campaign attempted to harass and discredit activist Gamal Eid

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Egypt Human Rights

Wed, Jul 5, 2023

Saudi Arabia’s execution of two Bahrainis sparks competing hashtags on Twitter

Arabic hashtag condemning the execution significantly more popular than hashtag supporting the execution

by Dina Sadek

Government Human Rights

Thu, Jun 29, 2023

The disinformation landscape in West Africa and beyond

A look at West Africa’s information environment, with particular emphasis on local and international disinformation campaigns targeting the region and beyond.

by Tessa Knight, Jean le Roux

Wed, Jun 28, 2023

Yevgeny Prigozhin: A history of violence and propaganda around the world

Yevgeny Prigozhin captured global attention with his mutiny in Russia; the DFRLab has tracked his efforts around the world for over half a decade.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Africa Botnets
BANNER: A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet equipped with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile flies over Moscow's Red Square during a rehearsal for a flyover, part of an annual military parade marking the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, May 7, 2022. (Source: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)

Fri, Jun 23, 2023

Ongoing Russian-Belarusian drills keep up the pressure on northern Ukraine

Joint military drills repeatedly extended by Russia and Belarus put Ukraine’s northern border within missile range

by Valentin Châtelet

Belarus Conflict
Ukrainian drone operators in Ukraine’s Donbas region, February 14, 2023. Russia’s Wagner Group is attempting to recruit gamers to join its own ranks of drone pilots. (Source: Reuters Connect/Kish Kim/Sipa USA)

Fri, Jun 23, 2023

Russian War Report: Wagner attempts to draft gamers as drone pilots

Russian PMC Wagner Group is encouraging gamers to apply to serve as drone pilots in the war against Ukraine while Ukrainian forces advance on the eastern front.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab