Russian disinformation surges in France, reports show

France is experiencing a rapid spike in activity from Russia’s disinformation network. Journalists have identified more than 200 new fake media websites — 140 of them mimicking well-known French outlets.

This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Russia intensifies fake news operations in France

The broad network is linked to Operation "Storm-1516," better known as Doppelgänger. According to journalists, it is coordinated by propagandist John Mark Dougan, one of the key figures behind Kremlin information campaigns in Europe. He previously appeared in connection with CopyCop — a similar network.

The mechanism of the operation relies on producing thousands of AI-generated articles. These materials are stylistically identical to genuine French media content, allowing fake stories to penetrate the information space without detection. Since October, the volume of such publications has risen sharply.

Journalists found that the goal of the campaign is to discredit French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the 2026 municipal elections and undermine trust in his policies.

"For France and the EU, this is a warning: without updated cybersecurity tools and large-scale media literacy programs, democratic processes will remain targets for Kremlin information attacks," the Center for Countering Disinformation emphasized.

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