EU Migration Commissioner: 'Too early to link Ceuta disinformation to Russia'

European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner has stated that it is premature to connect the disinformation circulating about the migrant crisis in Ceuta to Russia. His comments come after Ukraine's Foreign Minister accused Moscow of orchestrating a significant propaganda campaign related to the influx of migrants.

The situation in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the African continent, saw a massive arrival of Moroccan migrants, leading to a surge of photos and videos on social media platforms. These images of a large human flow at Europe's doorstep quickly gained international attention. Following this, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, alleged that Russia was behind the spread of content aimed at fueling anti-immigration sentiment in Europe.

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it was too early to link the disinformation about Ceuta to Russia

Sybiha claimed that his ministry had identified "an intensive Russian propaganda campaign" designed for "destabilization." He presented data indicating approximately 1,500 publications were linked to a pro-Russian network, with Russian state-backed media outlets RT and Pravda cited as sources of dissemination.

While the possibility of Russian interference in amplifying the crisis for ideological reasons is being considered, Brunner emphasized caution. He noted that linking the disinformation directly to Russia at this stage is not yet possible. This situation echoes previous concerns raised by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who has frequently denounced alleged Kremlin-led online disinformation campaigns aimed at disrupting public discourse and weakening European governments.

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intensive Russian propaganda campaign