Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Russia Ukraine War”
Russian state media's latest attempt, "Resistor Newswire," hasn't gained much traction despite 18+ months of operation. It’s just the latest attempt to be uncovered by ISD.
ISD has released the third and final round of our video campaign in German, Arabic and Russian, aimed to counter pro-Kremlin mis- and disinformation targeting Ukrainian refugees in Germany.
NYT
ISD’s Jacob Davey was interviewed by The New York Times about how pro-Kremlin actors are using video game platforms to reach vulnerable young audiences.
The Atlantic
ISD Senior Research Manager, Jared Holt, spoke to the Atlantic about how Telegram became central to follow developments on Russian ground, most recently, Yevgeny Prigozhin's revolt.
Axios
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt spoke to Axios about US political extremists and their overlap with Russian social media platforms.
BBC
ISD's Moustafa Ayad teamed up with the BBC to look into Yala News, a UK-registered media company that appears to be spreading video versions of Russian-state propaganda.
Sky News
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in Sky News commenting on findings from Meta's quarterly adversarial threat report.
ABC News
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in ABC News commenting on Meta's report on the evolution of pro-Russia online campaigns since the war began.
ARD
ISD's Julia Smirnova comments on Putin's annual address to the nation to German broadcaster ARD.
This dispatch analyses a Telegram channel linked to a pro-Kremlin influence operation targeting Ukrainian refugees in Germany.
This dispatch addresses how Russian-language propaganda on Telegram spread hate and disinformation against Ukrainian refugees in Europe.
Interferenzen
ISD's Julia Smirnova discusses the relationship between the far right and the conspiracy ideology scene in Germany, and among Russian state propaganda.
VICE News
ISD's Jordan Wildon spoke to VICE about our report on Russian state-media workarounds to circumvent the EU ban.
An ISD investigation reveals the pro-Kremlin influence operation behind a fake video claiming Western weapons meant for Ukraine are ending up on the black market.
La Republicca
ISD's investigation into 500 pro-Kremlin Twitter accounts ahead of the Italian elections was shared in major Italian newspapers like La Republicca, La Stampa, Il Secolo XIX and various sites under the GEDI publishing group.
POLITICO
POLITICO's investigation into the online pro-Ukraine collective NAFO features ISD research.
DW
ISD's Julia Smirnova features in DW speaking on the concerns around Russian influence operations exploiting fears and sowing social unrest in Germany.
Newsweek
Newsweek has featured findings from Moustafa Ayad's research published in Propaganda Primping: The ‘Kremlinistas’ of Twitter.
Today's Dispatch looks at pro-Kremlin rhetoric attempting to discredit Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as ‘neo-Nazi’ states.
DW
ISD's Moustafa Ayad's talks to DW about RT Arabic's popularity in the Middle East and how its winning the information war in the region.
Amidst Finland's bid to join NATO, supporters of Moscow’s claim that Russia is “denazifying” Ukraine have begun to associate Finland, a longstanding neutral country, with fascism.
Irish Examiner
Ciarán O'Connor has written for the Irish Examiner, sharing his observations from the past six months investigating the war in Ukraine.
New ISD research shows Facebook and Twitter are presenting users searching for news about Ukraine with pro-Kremlin material and information from unverified sources.
Coda Story
Analysis by ISD's Elise Thomas has formed part of a weekly newsletter by Coda Story about pro-Russian disinformation.
This second Dispatch in our four-part series explores the Azov Regiment in Ukraine, debunking pro-Kremlin claims that Ukraine is ‘neo-Nazi’ and anti-NATO conspiracy narratives.
This is the first of four Dispatches unpacking the narratives and tropes of pro-Kremlin actors claiming Ukraine to be a fascist state.
ISD France identified four communities known to push mis- and disinformation relating to COVID-19 and analysed their reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
ISD's Tim Squirrell participated as a speaker showcasing our research on the Russia-Ukraine War and how pro-Kremlin propaganda continue to reach global audiences.
El País
Leading Spanish-language outlet El País published an exclusive about how RT content is "tricking" the system in place.
Despite EU bans on Russia Today content, ISD has uncovered various ways in which RT content is still accessible and available online, reaching European audiences.
POLITICO
Kata Balint and Jordan Wildon speak to Politico about Russia Today's latest strategies to stay online in Europe.
Preying on primordial urges, pro-Kremlin Arabic narratives find a sweet spot in women influencers.
SWR
ISD analyst Julia Smirnova features in this documentary for SWR about the role of Russian-language propaganda amongst Russian-Germans.
A coordinated network of volunteers are working to translate existing Russian-language propaganda and disinformation about the war in Ukraine into many languages.
ARD Kontraste
ISD analyst, Julia Smirnova, spoke to Leading German investigative TV magazine ARD Kontraste about Russian 'comedians' Vovan and Lexus and their relation with the Russian state.
Today's Dispatch explores Dig Deep Documentary, a YouTube channel that appears to be a copycat of the now banned Russia Today channel.
Bloomberg
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad spoke to Bloomberg about the pro-Kremlin narratives being deployed in Africa in attempts to redirect blame for the global food security crisis since its invasion of Ukraine.
This Dispatch examines Project Nemesis, a mass doxxing campaign targeting members of the Ukrainian military, secret services, volunteers and international trainers.
ISD's Sasha Morinière joined the Conspiracy Watch for a discussion about the spread of conspiracy theories during the French legislative elections.
Radio Télé Suisse
Speaking to Radio Télévision Suisse during their French-language morning show, La Matinale, she offers analysis on "Twitter diplomacy" and observations ISD France has had since the beginning of the war.
BBC News
ISD's Julia Smirnova features in this article for the BBC, explaining that Southern Front is "likely the latest Russian strategy to establish control over the occupied territories of Ukraine".
In this Dispatch, ISD analysts explore Kremlin propaganda narratives about Victory Day on Facebook in 11 different languages and countries.
This Dispatch examines the key narratives and mechanisms used by pro-Kremlin influencers and actors attempting to link the Buffalo shooter to the Azov Battalion.
VICE News
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke with VICE News on how pro-Kremlin circles are misconstruing the shooter's profile to undermine support for Ukraine.
The Kremlin disinformation playbook of denials, diversion and deflections has been used as atrocities emerge after Russia's month-long occupation of Bucha.
POLITICO
Moustafa Ayad spoke with Politico about our findings on the origins behind the viral #IStandWithRussia hashtag that came about after the invasion.
This briefing note is intended to understand the origins of the #IstandwithRussia campaign, the accounts behind it, and the parallels and linkages it has to pro-Kremlin media and narratives on social media platforms.
This Dispatch explores how the antisemitic “Khazarian Mafia” conspiracy theory is being directed at the war in Ukraine.
Al Jazeera English
Tim Squirrell spoke to Al Jazeera English about Cyber Front Z, a Russian troll farm accused of spreading pro-Kremlin misinformation on social media.
Slate
ISD’s Iris Boyer spoke with Slate France on the non-neutrality of search engines in the aftermath of the Bucha massacre.
New ISD analysis of Facebook posts across 20 countries reveals that three weeks after the Bucha massacre, the most shared Facebook posts on the events are the ones questioning the legitimacy of it.
Le Figaro
ISD analysts Zoé Fourel and Sasha Morinière spoke with French Le Figaro about their findings around the support for RT France and Sputnik among French-speakers since the ban.
Cette publication a pour vocation d’analyser les conséquences de l’exclusion de RT et Sputnik France du paysage informationnel français ainsi que le type de discours que cette mesure a contribué à alimenter dans les communautés ou circulent de nombreux narratifs extrémistes et/ou de désinformation.
BBC
Researchers at ISD joined a BBC investigation on a network of Putin “superfans” on Facebook committed to depicting the Russian president as “smiling, benevolent and peace-loving”.
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor joined experts to discuss the role of the international media amidst Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
This briefing outlines the mechanics, narratives, and linkages of the pro-Putin power users — those that produce content at a high-rate day in and day out since the start of the invasion — on Facebook to pro-Kremlin groups and pages, painting a picture of a coordinated, seemingly inauthentic campaign intended to buttress the image of Putin in a range of languages and geographies.
This Dispatch looks at the impact of the RT and Sputnik bans on French social media, including the response of online fringe communities and proxies.
This Dispatch looks at the recent developments in digital policy, offering recommendations for platforms and governments responding to propaganda and disinformation.
VICE News
ISD analyst Julia Smirnova features in this article by VICE News where she explains how a Telegram channel is urging Russians to help boost pro-Kremlin content online by faking a "grassroots" movement.
ISD looks at how far-right channels, groups and pages on Telegram and Facebook have addressed the Russia-Ukraine War by looking at the narratives shared and domains amplified.
ISD has discovered Twitter accounts aligned with the Chinese Communist Party that appear to be inauthentic, spreading and amplifying disinformation about the war in Ukraine.
UnHerd
Tim Squirrell, ISD's Head of Communications, spoke with UnHerd about the far-right's splitting view of the Russia-Ukraine War, the "Balkanistation" of the ecosystem and the appeal of conspiracies in moments of human crises.
The Arab Weekly
The war in Ukraine has caused over three million people to flee their homes, Jasmine El-Gamal has authored an op-ed for the Arab Weekly about the future of refugee interventions.
Oireachtas TV
ISD’s Ciarán O’Conner appeared on Oireachtas Debates, a show on Oireachtas TV, an Irish public service broadcaster, as part of a panel interview discussing the war in Ukraine and spread of disinformation around the invasion, and misleading information from pro-Ukrainian parties.
This Dispatch looks at how Hungarian state-linked media is echoing and amplifying pro-Kremlin narratives, despite the country siding with Western allies’ efforts against Russia.
Business Insider
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor has shared insights and concerns over the role of Tiktok in spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda in an op-ed for Business Insider.
This Dispatch looks at the shift that appears to be underway in QAnon conspiracy communities as China's president Xi Jinping is recast from villain to hero.
NBC Nightly News
ISD's Jiore Craig was interviewed on Russian disinformation by NBC Nightly News, where she discussed the role of powerful actors in curbing the spread of disinformation.
Washington Post
Analysis by Julia Smirnova was featured by the Washington Post, it looks at a viral Tiktok video spreading misinformation about violence directed at Russians in Germany.
NYT
ISD researcher Elise Thomas features in an article for the New York Times, where she reminds us that Russia has always executed information attacks, but it's never been as easy as it is now in the age of the Internet and smart phones.
BBC Radio 4
ISD's CEO, Sasha Havlicek, appeared on Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme, Today, to discuss the last two decades of Western response to Vladimir Putin.
This Dispatch looks at how both RT DE and its followers have circumvented restrictions, while RT DE’s following has grown on alternative platforms like Odysee and VK.com.
Mother Jones
ISD researcher Elise Thomas shares some insight with investigative magazine Mother Jones about her research surrounding the ongoing information battle between Russia and Ukraine.
This Dispatch analyses how hashtags are being used to facilitate the Soviet propaganda tactic 'whataboutism' to support and amplify pro-Kremlin content.
Al Jazeera
Tim Squirrell, ISD's Head of Communications and Editorial, appeared on Al Jazeera's Inside Story to discuss changes to Meta's content moderation policy temporarily allowing users in some countries to incite violence against Russian soldiers.
In this Dispatch, Elise Thomas explains why Western conspiracy communities on Telegram are promoting pro-Kremlin propaganda about the Russia-Ukraine war.
Pro-Kremlin hashtags on Twitter have the hallmarks of an influence operation masquerading as a grassroots social movement, but how can they help us detect future operations?
Sky News
Sasha Havlicek joined Sky News' 'The Great Debate' during primetime as a panelist, debating the question: Can the West stop Vladimir Putin?
AP News
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor comments to AP News about the significance of TikTok in Russia's information war.
Ukraine-related disinformation from Russian state-backed sources is spreading without restriction in German-Language Telegram channels and groups.
POLITICO
ISD analyst and Russia expert Julia Smirnova speaks with POLITICO on how far-right activity on Telegram has increasingly consisted in the sharing of banned-RT content.
This Dispatch explores how Russian state-controlled or state-affiliated news organisations are using TikTok to spread misinformation and push Kremlin disinformation narratives.
FAZ
ISD's Julia Smirnova, an expert on Russia, features in a podcast with renowned German newspaper FAZ about deliberate false reporting during the war in Ukraine.
This Digital Dispatch shares several trends that ISD analysts observed in German-language Facebook groups during the days prior to Russia’s invasion, and in the days immediately after it.
ZDF
ISD's Julia Smirnova speaks with ZDF about Russia's efforts to destabilise Ukraine with propaganda campaigns dating back to 2014 and the annexation of Crimea.
Despite having been banned in 2020, pro-Russian propaganda outlet News Front has been able to return to Facebook for at least a third time without any significant innovation in its tactics or operation. This raises questions about how effectively Facebook enforces its own bans on known bad actors.
This case study examines two websites and two blogging accounts which appear to be linked to News Front, a Crimean-based news organisation previously accused of being a source of pro-Kremlin disinformation and influence operations. While the impact of the site’s activity is low, the case study provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the broader disinformation ecosystem and sheds light on the long tail of state-linked online assets.
Disinformation can threaten the activities, objectives and individuals associated with civil society groups and their work. This toolkit lays out an approach that organisations can undertake to begin to track online disinformation on subjects that they care about. The process is intended to have a very low barrier to entry, with each stage achievable using either over-the-counter or free-to-use social media analysis tools.
