Experts at the French VIGINUM agency, known also for their earlier work related to the ‘Reliable Recent News’ or ‘Doppelgänger’ network, uncovered in their most recent report(opens in a new tab) a pro-Kremlin disinformation network that they dubbed as ‘Portal Kombat’.
This exposed network is comprised of ‘information portals’ that broadcast pro-Kremlin takes on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, it denigrates the Ukrainian government in order to influence public opinion, particularly in France.
According to the VIGINUM report, the Kremlin-spun network consists of at least 193 websites that initially targeted Russian and Ukrainian audiences, but then re-oriented themselves to target Western countries after Russia launched a full-scale invasion. This network was also eventually used to target audiences in temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine.
Notably, the network does not produce original content, but massively amplifies Russian or pro-Kremlin sources, including Russian press agencies and official sites.
An old, but not a fond, acquaintance
A notable element of the network targeting French audiences is the pravda-fr.com site, which spreads ideologically oriented, misleading, manipulative, and polarising pro-Kremlin narratives.
We at EUvsDisinfo are no strangers to these modern day Pravdas, not to be mistaken with the original one. Their different language versions include, among others, English, German, Italian, Spanish, and Polish versions in addition to the previously mentioned French version. It is worth noting here that French and Spanish language platforms operated by pro-Kremlin networks are designed to reach audiences in countries across Africa and Latin America.
Our disinformation database has currently well over 100 reported disinformation cases across all language versions, with the Polish language Pravda-pl leading the pack.
Dangerous Kremlin disinformation plays in Africa
A recent revelation by the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center brought to light a concerted effort by Russia’s intelligence services to bolster disinformation campaigns in Africa(opens in a new tab). Russian activities on the African continent is a topic that we also have covered in the past, for example in this video(opens in a new tab).
Under the disguise of a deceitfully named ‘African Initiative,’ a seemingly independent information agency focusing on Africa-Russia relations, Russia has been actively involved in spreading disinformation targeting the United States and European nations.
This operation not only involves Russian personnel, such as Chief Editor Artem Sergeyevich Kureyev, but has also enlisted journalists, bloggers, and local public figures in African countries to disseminate narratives aimed at improving Russia’s image while at the same time targeting Western efforts, particularly in the domain of public health.
Petty power plays cost real human lives
Worrisomely, the ‘African Initiative’ has launched campaigns to discredit US and Western health initiatives, spreading dangerous disinformation about mosquito-borne diseases and spreading conspiratorial material about Western pharmaceutical companies and philanthropical health organisations, thereby risking public health security across the continent.
As despicable it may be, the Russian information manipulation ecosystem does not shy away from weaponising public health, even if it may end result in innocent people losing their lives.
In our database, we have more than 1,000 reported cases linked to the health topic, and we have covered extensively how the Russian disinformation machinery has been mobilised to spread disinformation related to global Covid-19 pandemics and vaccines.
As a result of this coverage, we at EUvsDisinfo issued number of special reports, wrote several articles, and even issued a guide to support approaching people believing in dangerous anti-vaccine theories. All this to stop Kremlin reckless disinformation plays turning into many human lives lost.