Russia's 'Doppelganger' scheme targets Polish election integrity
Russian special services are conducting operation "Doppelganger" to influence the Polish elections. The Kremlin is using fake media and bots to spread disinformation. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR) reported the threat of Russian provocations in the Polish network.
What do you need to know?
- Russian special services are conducting operation "Doppelganger". They create fake media that resemble real ones to influence Polish voters.
- The main messages of the Kremlin focus on criticizing Poland's support for Ukraine and advocating for leaving the European Union.
- The phase of the Russian operation targeting presidential elections was rehearsed in other countries, including the USA.
How does Russia influence Polish elections?
According to Ukrainian intelligence, since March, Russian special services have been conducting an intense disinformation campaign aimed at influencing Polish voters. Operation "Doppelganger" involves creating websites and social media profiles that perfectly mimic Polish sites and accounts. This allows the Kremlin to spread false information under the guise of credible news.
"To influence Polish voters, since March of this year, Russian special services have been spreading false and manipulative content on the social networking service X, with the active involvement of bot farms and fake accounts that imitate real voters," states a communication from HUR.
What are the goals of operation "Doppelganger"?
The Kremlin's main messages in this operation focus on criticizing Poland's support for Ukraine and advocating for leaving the European Union. Additionally, some media controlled by Russia attempt to shape a negative image of Ukraine, portraying Kyiv as a source of chaos on the Polish political scene. "Such actions by Russia are part of a broader strategy of hybrid pressure exerted on EU and NATO countries, aimed at weakening their internal unity," informs HUR.
What is Russia's strategy?
According to the Center for Eastern Studies, Russia conducted a similar campaign in the United States in 2022. The websites of reputable and reliable media, including "The Washington Post," were forged.
The Russians also created fake social media profiles and posted comments with fake links on platforms. This allowed them to spread false information, fictional news, videos, and memes.
Source: HUR, RMF FM
