Eastern Europe

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
A Russian serviceman walks past the Operational Group of Russian Forces headquarters in Tiraspol, in Moldova's self-proclaimed separatist Transnistria, November 3, 2021. The banner reads "Army of Russia." REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Mon, Mar 20, 2023

Russia builds a “special information operation” around Transnistria

Rhetoric increasingly pushes idea of military conflict in the separatist region of Moldova

by Victoria Olari

Conflict Defense Policy
A protester wrapped in a Georgian national flag raises hands while standing in front of law enforcement officers during a rally against the "foreign agents" law in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 7, 2023. REUTERS/Zurab Javakhadze

Tue, Mar 14, 2023

How the Kremlin misrepresented a video to claim Georgian protesters seek war with Russia

Footage from a protest in Tbilisi was presented with false context to accuse protesters of seeking war in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia

by Sopo Gelava

Conflict Disinformation
Participants protest against a draft law on “foreign agents” during a rally outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 8, 2023. (Source: Reuters/Irakli Gedenidze)

Fri, Mar 10, 2023

The Kremlin and Georgian Dream spread similar narratives about protests in Georgia

Narratives attempt to discredit protesters, blame the West for public dissent

by Eto Buziashvili, Sopo Gelava

Civil Society Corruption
Participants walk past a screen displaying the RUTUBE logo at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, Russia ,June 17, 2022. (Source: Reuters/Anton Vaganov)

Mon, Jan 30, 2023

How Russian YouTube copycat RUTUBE promotes pro-Kremlin narratives

RUTUBE’s mix of Kremlin narratives and entertainment has seen a surge of referral traffic since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Business Disinformation
Screenshot of an animated video produced by the Wagner Group showing soldiers fighting French 'zombies' in West Africa.

Fri, Jan 20, 2023

Russian War Report: Wagner Group fights French ‘zombies’ in cartoon propaganda

Plus, more on Wagner's power struggles with the Russian defense ministry and Russia's apparent use of incendiary munitions in Kherson.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Original photo of the Polish PM, which was digitally altered and amplified on Telegram. (Source: @PremierRP/archive)

Fri, Dec 2, 2022

Russian War Report: Russian Telegram channel spreads digitally modified photo of Poland’s prime minister

Russian Telegram channels disseminated a manipulated photo showing Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a monument during his visit to Ukraine.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Protesters hold up their phones with flashlights lit during a protest in Warsaw, Poland on 17 October, 2022. Several hundred people gathered in front of the Iranian embassy to protest the supply of loitering Shahed drones to Russia. Russia is using the Iranian manufactured drones to attack Ukraine. Several dozen people have already died and critical infrastructure damaged in major cities after use of the Shahed drones by Russia. (Photo by Jaap Arriens / Sipa USA) (Photo by STR/NurPhoto)NO USE FRANCE

Fri, Oct 21, 2022

Russian War Report: Wagner sends vehicles to Kherson while Iran increases military support

Wagner Group has been reported in Ukraine assisting Russian forces in fighting and fortifying positions in the Donbas.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Balkans Belarus
Ukrainian first responders attempt to quash a fire ignited by a Russian missile attack in Zaporizhzhia, October, 11, 2022. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine via Reuters Connect

Fri, Oct 14, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia escalates war by targeting cities across Ukraine

Russia escalated its war against Ukraine this week with missile attacks and airstrikes on cities across the country, including the first serious attack in the capital Kyiv in months.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Civil Society
Top pro-Kremlin channels gain followers faster, reach more people, and have more subscribers than those critical of the Kremlin

Fri, May 13, 2022

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels in Russia outperforming channels critical of Kremlin

Top pro-Kremlin channels gain followers faster, reach more people, and have more subscribers than those critical of the Kremlin.

by Givi Gigitashvili

Eastern Europe Electorate

Tue, Feb 15, 2022

Russian War Report: Military camps close in on border as Kremlin accelerates false-flag narratives

While the Kremlin announced that some units have begun loading equipment onto trains to return to their bases, the DFRLab continues to observe other units positioning themselves closer to Ukraine's northeast border with Russia.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Tue, Feb 8, 2022

Russian War Report: Missile battalion confirmed in Belarus 

The Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab tracks the latest Russian military movements and other developments in the Kremlin's hybrid war against Ukraine.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab