The Kremlin is attempting to influence international support for Ukraine through information campaigns. A recent report by Meta revealed that Russia is actively using online platforms to spread messages aimed at weakening Western support for Kyiv.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has consistently used social media to disseminate disinformation. The initial campaigns were focused on creating division in Western countries, particularly those that actively support Ukraine.
However, as Meta notes, the tactics have evolved over time. While Russian accounts previously generated content independently, they now increasingly promote messages expressed by Western politicians and influencers who oppose aid to Ukraine, arguing that the tens of billions of dollars provided to Ukraine would be better spent on domestic needs.
Thus, rather than imposing their views externally, Russian information operations are now manipulating public opinion through their covert agents of influence.
Russian online campaigns are paying particular attention to the upcoming U.S. presidential election. In its report, Meta indicates that Russian influence agents may actively exploit internal American political debates about supporting Ukraine to advance their interests. They support candidates who oppose providing financial and military aid to Ukraine.
“We should expect attempts by Russia to influence the election debates, especially when it comes to supporting Ukraine,” said David Agranovich, Director of Security Policy at Meta.
As noted in the Meta report, Russian influence groups have altered their tactics and become more inventive. They no longer limit themselves to creating fake accounts but also utilize real political groups targeting specific segments of the population.
Meta stated that it has identified and removed four covert campaigns by Russian agents targeting social media users in Europe and the U.S. In total, 340 accounts and pages on Facebook and Instagram were deleted, which had spent over $150,000 on advertising. These campaigns were primarily focused on criticizing Ukraine, calling for an end to its support.
The tech giant also reported that it had thwarted a separate covert Kremlin operation aimed at creating a fake political support group to manipulate conservative voters in key U.S. states.
Russian online campaigns are becoming increasingly dangerous as they target the manipulation of internal political processes in Western countries.
The West must remain vigilant and intensify its efforts to detect and block such information attacks. It is crucial to strengthen public opinion in support of Ukraine as an important ally in the fight for democratic values, despite all Kremlin’s attempts to sow division in Western countries.
