Russia Targets French Presidential Election With Disinformation Campaign

French authorities have uncovered a sophisticated disinformation campaign orchestrated by Russia, aimed at influencing the upcoming presidential elections. The operation specifically targets a former prime minister, a centrist figure, who is a strong supporter of Ukraine.

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external interference, originating from Russia and from entities linked to the Russian central government

Security services identified the campaign as originating from Russian state-linked entities and attributed it to the "Matryoshka" network. The "Viginum" agency, tasked with combating online disinformation, detected the operation and described it as "very robust." Although the campaign was relatively low-profile, attracting only a few thousand views, it spread false information on the platform X, impersonating legitimate French news sources. The fabricated content falsely claimed the former prime minister had Parkinson's disease or supported more lenient squatting policies.

A source close to the politician suggested the attack was motivated by his commitment to Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. This is not an isolated incident; another Russia-linked propaganda network has recently targeted two other politicians. These include Raphael Glucksmann, a left-wing Member of the European Parliament and vocal Kremlin critic who is also expected to run for president, and former prime minister Edouard Philippe, another centrist candidate. The campaigns against them involved spreading false information about their health.

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very robust

The discovery highlights ongoing concerns about foreign interference in democratic processes, particularly as France approaches a critical election period. The involvement of multiple Russian-linked networks suggests a coordinated effort to destabilize the political landscape and sow discord among the electorate.

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relatively inconspicuous