A campaign to spread fake news about candidates in the 2027 presidential election who support Ukraine has been identified in the French information space. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CCD), UNN reports.
Details
It is noted that a network of anonymous accounts, primarily on the social network X, is spreading fabricated publications styled as reports by well-known media outlets, containing fake information about potential candidates Gabriel Attal, Édouard Philippe, and Raphaël Glucksmann.
In particular, false claims are circulating about Attal allegedly having Parkinson’s disease and having "stolen billions," Philippe allegedly suffering from dementia, and journalists being bribed in Glucksmann’s interests, among other things. Fake reports purportedly from well-known media outlets are also being circulated, claiming that France itself fabricates examples of "Russian disinformation" in order to use them as a pretext to block the social network X
It is reported that the French state service Viginum, responsible for protection against foreign digital interference, confirmed that these fakes were created and disseminated through networks linked to Russia—specifically, through the "Matryoshka" network. At the same time, fakes of the same type were also spread in Germany concerning candidates in local elections.
"Russia is systematically attempting to influence elections in EU countries, discredit candidates who support Ukraine, and undermine trust in state institutions, including by using networks for the coordinated dissemination of disinformation, fakes, and manipulation," the CCD concludes.
Recall
The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council has recorded the spread in the Czech information space of narratives about the negative consequences of Ukraine’s strikes on Russia. These narratives are disseminated by sources that Czech researchers classify as sources of pro-Kremlin propaganda.