This Wednesday, Radio France International fell victim to the Russian disinformation apparatus. The French agency reported that a false report posing as Radio France International appeared online on Wednesday afternoon. The video suggested, without any evidence, that a tuberculosis epidemic threatens France due to the admission of Ukrainian soldiers to the country’s hospitals. The publication of this false report on various distribution channels shows that RFI is the target of a coordinated information attack. Discovered by the Russian Service and the RFI International Service, this video has been circulating online since Wednesday. The logo at the top right of the image, the graphic letter, the edition, and the credits suggest, wrongly, that it was produced by RFI’s editorial team. In reality, this is a false report, and RFI is not the origin of this content.
The fraudulent production first appeared online on the Telegram messaging application at 2:47 pm Paris time (10:47 in Argentina). The Russian account that posted it is called “Russia News” and has about 4,282 followers. The video’s narrative claims, without evidence, that a “Ukrainian tuberculosis epidemic threatens France due to the admission of Ukrainian soldiers for treatment.” The accompanying commentary concludes: “Bedbugs and tuberculosis. If only it could go to the Olympics in France…”. Subsequently, new Russian-language Telegram channels shared this false report attributed to RFI. One of them is followed by over 118,000 people and both have been identified as important vectors of pro-Russian propaganda since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.
This fake news was then published on VKontakte, the equivalent of Facebook in Russia, followed by X (formerly Twitter), and on various Russian websites. Each time, it is almost word-for-word the same comment in Russian that accompanies the video. This dissemination pattern, the anti-Ukrainian narrative, and the impersonation technique of a media outlet 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 the RFI brand content, individuals can contact the 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, Princess of Wales, following her cancer diagnosis revelation last week. The 42-year-old princess announced her diagnosis through a video. A digital disinformation expert at Cardiff University in Wales, Martin Innes, and his colleagues tracked 45 social media accounts that posted a false claim about Catherine, also known as Kate, on a disinformation network linked to the Kremlin. The influence 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 the media.
The aim of the disinformation campaign was likely both commercial and political. Social media activity surrounding Kate increased in the last three months due to a lack of information about her condition, leading to rumors and speculation. The Russian network amplified these posts to boost their own traffic statistics and follower count. While it is unclear who might have hired the disinformation network to target Kate, the network has a history of undermining countries and individuals at odds with the Kremlin. Britain’s support for Ukraine and London’s antagonistic history with Moscow could have made it a prime target for the Russians.