Russian propaganda exploits US hurricane response to undermine FEMA and Ukraine support
24 October 2024
This Digital Dispatch examines how Russian state-affiliated media outlets and social media accounts have been leveraging hurricanes Milton and Helene to foster discontent within the US, undermine trust in disaster relief efforts, and reduce public support for Ukraine. Russian media outlets highlight themes of alleged administrative failure, inadequate Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response, and the prioritization of foreign and migrant aid over US citizens, attempting to exploit existing frustrations among certain political groups in the US. This propaganda is reaching large audiences on mainstream social media platforms, where it is being allowed to spread without appropriate measures, such as fact-checking and state affiliation labels, in place. The efforts to exploit US hurricane response fit into a long-observed effort by Russian media to deepen political polarization and reduce public support for Ukraine, which appears to be ramping up as the US approaches the presidential election on November 5.
Key Findings
This article explores how Russian information campaigns are leveraging hurricanes Milton and Helene to amplify discontent within the US. It focuses on the key narratives pushed by Kremlin-backed media and their role in undermining trust in US disaster relief efforts. Findings include:
- In the aftermath of hurricanes Milton and Helene, Russian state-affiliated media and social accounts have propagated narratives critical of the US government.
- In line with a long-standing propaganda strategy, these pro-Kremlin networks are amplifying content from domestic US sources that align with Russia’s geopolitical interests.
- Russian outlets have portrayed the Biden administration as incompetent, with the hurricane response used to illustrate perceived government failures writ large. Such narratives generally cite the supposed allocation of resources to Ukraine over domestic needs.
- Russian disinformation campaigns are generally spreading unchecked across platforms. This type of content is especially prominent on X (formerly Twitter), in line with other recent moderation failures identified by ISD.
- In one case, RIA Novosti (a Russian state-owned news agency primarily serving domestic audiences), shared AI-generated images on their Russian-language Telegram channel which purported to show devastation at Florida’s Disney World caused by Hurricane Milton. These images appear to have originated from a low-traction account on X, before being picked up and amplified by RIA Novosti and subsequently other Russian-language media.
This analysis focused on examining content put out by Russian state and state-affiliated media, government channels, and official representatives and their social media accounts across a number of social media platforms from September 24 to October 18, 2024. It assessed English-language content referring to hurricanes Milton and Helene, with a specific focus on narratives surrounding the US government’s response. Data was collected from platforms including X, VK, Telegram, and Rumble, with X serving as the primary source due to higher engagement and reach of Kremlin-affiliated accounts.
Narratives Promoted by Russian State Media
1. Diverting Funds to Ukraine at the Expense of US Disaster Relief
One key narrative centers on claims that the Biden administration is prioritizing Ukrainians over US citizens, particularly in disaster-affected areas. Russian state media frequently amplify claims that funds for hurricane recovery are being diverted to support military efforts in Ukraine, a falsehood that has been repeatedly disproved. RT, one of the Kremlin’s primary outlets, has pushed this narrative extensively on X over the past fortnight. The outlet’s most popular post received more than 40k views, with other posts reaching hundreds of reposts on average.
By focusing on this issue, Russian media taps into existing frustrations among certain segments of the US public regarding financial support for Ukraine, framing it within the overarching narrative that domestic needs are being sacrificed for foreign policy goals. The narrative that US support for Ukraine represents a betrayal of its own citizens was also promoted by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chair of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and former Russian president. His post on X garnered more than 16k likes and 4,500 reposts.

Figure 1: Dmitry Medvedev‘s post on X linking Hurricane Milton to US aid to Ukraine.
2. Biden Administration’s Incompetence in Disaster Relief
Another key narrative we identified is that the US government’s hurricane response is emblematic of incompetence within the Biden administration. For example, Sputnik interviewed US Representative Paul Gosar (R-Arizona), amplifying his critique of disaster relief efforts and supposed ‘mismanaging’ of funds. These critiques paint a picture of chaos and failure with clear partisan themes, reinforcing existing conspiracies and misinformation circulating on social media in recent weeks.

Figure 2: Sputnik International’s post on X criticizing Vice President Harris.
3. FEMA’s Inability to Provide Effective Aid
Russian state media have also amplified claims that FEMA is unable to provide adequate relief, citing supposed financial deficits due to immigration-related spending. In one example, RT highlighted a post suggesting that FEMA’s limited resources were stretched thin because funds had been diverted to support immigrants. This falsehood went so viral that FEMA has set up a dedicated ‘rumor response’ webpage to debunk it, along with other viral mis- and disinformation.
These claims intentionally stoke grievances and a perception the US government is neglecting its citizens in favor of foreign aid or support for migrants. This aligns with long-standing Kremlin goal of fueling anti-immigration sentiment in the US; this itself is part of Russian strategy of amplifying divisive domestic issues to weaken public trust in institutions, diminish support for US global engagements and ultimately undermine the stability of liberal democracies.
Russian Amplification of Domestic US Narratives
These campaigns are particularly effective because they latch onto narratives already circulating within US political discourse. Rather than creating entirely new types of disinformation, Russian media primarily amplifies false or misleading claims originating from US sources, typically with a delay of several days. This strategy allows Russian actors to insert themselves into ongoing discussions, giving content a veneer of credibility by tying it to domestic concerns; it also increases their impact by leveraging the most divisive wedge issues for their own agenda. Russian actors tend to share and amplify claims made by US citizens and public figures, avoiding direct responsibility while pushing narratives aligned with their geopolitical interests.
For instance, pro-Russian accounts heavily promoted comments made by X owner Elon Musk, who suggested that US financial support for Ukraine was detracting from hurricane relief efforts. Similarly, Russian media echoed remarks from former President Donald Trump in which he criticized the Biden administration’s supposed focus on Ukraine over domestic disaster recovery.

Figure 3: Image posted on RT’s X profile amplifying Donald Trump’s comments around disaster relief and Ukraine aid. The false claim that hurricane victims can only access $750 of federal relief has been debunked by FEMA and various other local and national officials.
Exploiting Social Media Platforms
The success of Russian disinformation campaigns often relies on seeding or spreading narratives at scale across social media platforms. X has been key in proliferating content, with many posts lacking fact-checks (e.g. Community Notes) or labels disclosing the account’s affiliation with the Russian state. These gaps in policy enforcement are weaponized by malicious actors who, in this case, are seeking to amplify conspiracy theories
Russian state-affiliated media promoted similar narratives and employed similar tactics on their English-language Telegram channels, including amplifying US voices who are pushing narratives favored by the Kremlin. Telegram remains a relatively fringe platform in the US and these Russian channels are unlikely to reach mass American audiences. Nonetheless, active users of Telegram, which is especially popular among far-right groups, could be receptive to this messaging.

Figure 4: RT English-language Telegram channel highlighting claims made by an American influencer on Ukraine and disaster relief.
In one notable case, RIA Novosti – a prominent news agency catering to a mostly domestic Russian audience – shared AI-generated images on their Russian-language Telegram channel. These emotive images purported to show devastation at Florida’s Disney World caused by Hurricane Milton. These images were likely first posted by a low-traction account on X, then picked up and amplified by RIA Novosti. They were subsequently spread by other Russian-language media, despite their inauthentic nature. The AI-generated images were not, however, shared by Russian state media aimed at English-speaking audiences.

Figure 5: AI-generated images of flooded Disney World, shared on RIA Novosti’s Telegram channel
Conclusion
The Kremlin’s overarching goal in these disinformation campaigns is not simply to critique the Biden administration’s handling of hurricanes Milton and Helene, but to sow distrust in US institutions. By painting the US government as either incompetent or actively malicious, Russian media attempts to undermine public confidence in the US disaster relief system, federal agencies including FEMA and broader political leadership.
Russian actors are also amplifying divisive narratives around issues including immigration, military aid to Ukraine and disaster relief to exacerbate political polarization ahead of the US presidential election. This strategy fits within a broader pattern of Russian interference, where existing societal divisions are deepened through targeted information campaigns designed to erode trust in democratic institutions.
By focusing on directly linking alleged government failures and US aid to Ukraine, Russia attempts to paint the Ukraine aid as actively harmful to US citizens in order to reduce public support for financial and material aid for the conflict. With only a few weeks left until the US faces a high-stakes presidential election, and in lieu of social media platforms providing the appropriate safeguards for users, maintaining vigilance on checking the sources of posts related to developing new stories will be crucial.
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