Russia ramps up disinformation attacks on French media ahead of 2027 Presidential race

The Russian disinformation operations that emerged at the start of the war in Ukraine have ramped up in the past year, with fake news articles and reports hijacking trusted media brands, to undermine public trust and deceive AI systems, a NewsGuard report released on Monday found. Specialists from the US media watchdog found that three pro-Russian influence operations were the source of 950 fake news stories that mimicked 163 “supposedly trusted news brands” in 21 countries. Among the 15 most imitated media brands were eight French outlets, including FRANCE 24, which saw its brand coopted by fake news stories 34 times over 12 months. “It's no surprise that France, which is one of the biggest contributors of aid to Ukraine, is being specifically targeted,” said Chine Labbé, Europe editor at NewsGuard. “We know that every time there is a show of diplomatic support for Ukraine – whether it's a speech by Emmanuel Macron, or a trip to Kyiv – disinformation campaigns follow within the same day.” And ahead of the 2027 Presidential elections, France seems evermore in the crosshairs of pro-Russian actors. Three presidential candidates who have pledged unwavering support for Ukraine – Raphaë...