This Wednesday, Radio France International (RFI) fell victim to a Russian disinformation campaign. A false report, posing as RFI, appeared online on Wednesday afternoon and suggested without evidence that a tuberculosis epidemic was threatening France due to the admission of Ukrainian soldiers to the country’s hospitals. The video has been circulating online since then and has been shared on various distribution channels, including Telegram messaging application, VKontakte (the equivalent of Facebook in Russia), X (formerly Twitter), and various Russian websites.
The fake news was first published on Telegram by a Russian account called “Russia News,” which has about 4,282 followers. The video’s narrative claims that a “Ukrainian tuberculosis epidemic threatens France due to the admission of Ukrainian soldiers for treatment.” Accompanying commentary concludes: “Bedbugs and tuberculosis. If only it could go to the Olympics in France…” This fake news was then republished by several Russian-language Telegram channels followed by over 118,000 people. Both channels have been identified as important vectors of pro-Russian propaganda since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.
The fraudulent production first appeared online at 2:47 pm Paris time (10:47 in Argentina). The anti-Ukrainian narrative and impersonation technique leave little doubt about the origin of this information attack. This mode of operation has already targeted many French and international media outlets. If there are any questions about the authenticity of RFI brand content, individuals can contact Info Verif unit on WhatsApp at +33 6 89 07 61 09.
Meanwhile, in Britain, investigators reported that a Russian disinformation operation contributed to a whirlwind of conspiracy theories surrounding Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis revelation last week. Digital disinformation expert Martin Innes and his colleagues tracked 45 social media accounts that posted false claims about Catherine Middleton on a disinformation network linked to the Kremlin. The aim of the disinformation campaign seemed calculated to inflame divisions, deepen a sense of chaos in society and erode trust in institutions such as the British royal family and media.
The influence campaign likely had both commercial and political motivations. Social media activity surrounding Kate increased significantly in recent months due to a lack of information about her condition leading to rumors and speculation. The Russian network amplified these posts to boost its own traffic statistics and follower count while it is unclear who might have hired them for this purpose; however, their history undermining countries or individuals at odds with Moscow makes Britain prime target for them.
In conclusion, both RFI and Kate Middleton became victims of coordinated information attacks by Russia using different methods but with similar goals: spreading false information aimed at causing chaos and undermining trust in institutions like media or royal families while increasing their traffic statistics or following count.
