Russia spread misinformation about the referendum on European integration held in the Republic of Moldova and the European Parliament elections, according to a report by the European External Action Service (EEAS), Agerpres reports. On Tuesday, the authority published a map of Russian and Chinese disinformation networks, consisting of 2,055 information sources, including state media, accounts controlled by intelligence services, and other resources not directly linked to the state.
According to the EEAS, the Russian network consists of a core group formed by official channels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, and the Russian Intelligence Service, as well as state-funded media outlets. These include RT, Sputnik, TASS, Ria Novosti, Gazeta, and Ukraine.ru, which amplify Kremlin narratives.
The next layer consists of channels operating under Moscow’s supervision without officially demonstrating affiliation. These channels typically distribute messages in English, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Turkish, Arabic, or Hebrew.
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The third layer includes channels that reinforce messages from Moscow without being officially recognized as part of the Kremlin’s network. These can be influencers, experts, or YouTube channels that ensure narratives remain active if official sources are restricted or banned.
The Russian network adapts its approaches based on regions, messages, and media types. Meanwhile, Chinese disinformation operates through multiple channels simultaneously, engaging in discussions on sensitive topics. Like Russia, China spreads information through state media and official diplomatic channels, and news websites, podcasts, and influencers actively circulate it.
Recently, Moscow has conducted campaigns against Germany, France, NATO, and G7 member states, while China has focused its disinformation efforts on the African continent.