Central Europe

Mon, Jun 3, 2024

Tailored Russian disinformation targets Polish farmer protests

Kremlin-backed actors attempt to sow division between Poland and Ukraine

by Givi Gigitashvili

Conflict CrowdTangle
A person is detained after Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot at close range in an assassination attempt, after a government meeting in Handlova, Slovakia, May 15, 2024. Source: REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo)

Wed, May 22, 2024

Online conspiracies proliferate following the attack on Slovakian PM Robert Fico

Anti-Western and anti-Ukraine narratives circulated online after the assassination attempt on the Slovakian prime minister.

by Ruslan Trad

Central Europe Central Europe
KRAKOW, POLAND - OCTOBER 13: Voting at a polling station during the parliamentary elections on October 15, 2023 in Krakow. Poland. Parliamentary elections were held in Poland on October 15. The elections were accompanied by a highly controversial referendum during which four questions were asked, including about migration policy. (Source: Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Reuters)

Wed, Dec 13, 2023

How foreign actors targeted Polish information environment ahead of parliamentary elections

Foreign - or seemingly foreign - actors implemented different interference actions in order to influence Polish voters or foment societal instability

by Givi Gigitashvili

Central Europe Central Europe
Slawomir Mentzen, co-leader of Confederation far right political alliance, delivers his speech during the final day of campaigning for the parliamentary elections in Rzeszow, Poland, October 13, 2023. (Source: Patryk Ogorzalek/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via Reuters)

Thu, Dec 7, 2023

Deceptive marketing ads used fake images of Polish politician

Digitally altered photos deployed as clickbait in Facebook ads drew users to promotional campaign for sketchy cryptocurrency operation

by Givi Gigitashvili, Iain Robertson

Business Central Europe
Documents showing vote counts received at a polling station are seen in Warsaw, Poland on 19 October, 2023. (Source: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Reuters)

Mon, Nov 20, 2023

Nontransparent network of pro-opposition Polish Facebook pages coordinates its attacks

Network pushed similar or identical pro-opposition and anti-ruling party content, often in a way by which their coordination, authenticity, and provenance was obscured

by Givi Gigitashvili

Central Europe Central Europe

Thu, Sep 28, 2023

Russian War Report: Competing claims about the possible death of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet commander

Following an attack by Ukrainian forces on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, rumors swirled about the potential death of Russian Admiral Viktor Sokolov.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Geolocation

Tue, Sep 5, 2023

Anti-Ukraine Telegram network targets audiences in nine languages

Network is linked to a former member of the Security Service of Ukraine

by Givi Gigitashvili

Disinformation Facebook
A still image from a bodycam footage, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be crew members kneeling down in a cockpit during an operation held by Russian navy officers to board the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel with the help of a Ka-29 military helicopter in the Black Sea on August 13, 2023, in this image taken from video published August 15, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. WATERMARK FROM SOURCE.

Thu, Aug 17, 2023

Russian War Report: Tensions escalate in the Black Sea as the Russian navy forcefully inspects a civilian cargo ship

Russia escalated tensions beyond Ukraine again this week when its navy forcibly inspected and fired warning shots at a civilian cargo ship.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Digital Policy
Explosion of a missile is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Fri, May 19, 2023

Russian War Report: Russia fires barrage at Kyiv while UK promises ‘kamikaze’ drones

A series of Russian missile strikes directed at Kyiv were largely intercepted while the UK promises hundreds of drones. In Poland, a missile "cover up" controversy.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Intelligence
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attend a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia April 6, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Fri, Apr 7, 2023

Russian War Report: Belarus accuses Ukraine of plotting terrorist attack

Belarus' KGB accused Ukraine of plotting an attack on a Russian consulate in the Belarusian city of Grodno. Belarus also confirmed it would accept Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Conflict
A Ukrainian soldier of the Paratroopers' of 80th brigade listens to artillery fire a frontline position near Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Fri, Mar 17, 2023

Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms aerial strikes on industrial plants north of Bakhmut

As Russian forces continue their offensive on Bakhmut, the DFRLab examined satellite imagery to reveal the potential of missile attacks.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Central Europe Conflict
Bohdan, 'Fritz', the unit commander's deputy in the 79th Air Assault Brigade, fires a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) towards Russian positions on a front line near the town of Marinka, in the middle of the Russia attack on Ukraine, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 14, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Sat, Feb 18, 2023

Russian War Report: Failed Russian push on Vuhledar results in losses as Moscow increases troops

Vuhledar, a town connecting the northern and southern flanks, has been under an unsuccessful attack from Russian forces for two weeks.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Corruption
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