A leak of documents has revealed a large-scale influence campaign organized by Russia to support far-right parties in the EU. Internal data from the Russian propaganda center Social Design Agency (SDA) showed how operations to interfere in elections and spread disinformation on social media were coordinated to undermine Ukraine, as reported by Vsquare.
Amid the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine, the Russian presidential administration has become a key client of the SDA. Documents indicate that the SDA actively supported far-right parties during the European Parliament elections, employing internet trolls, memes, and fake news. One example is the interference in the electoral campaigns in Germany and France, where the agency set quotas for creating memes and comments to destabilize the situation and shape pro-Russian opinions.
The leak reveals how the SDA acts as a center for psychological warfare. Its “army” consists not of soldiers but of meme creators and internet trolls. According to internal records, the agency hires "ideologists," eight "commentators," and an "operator for a bot farm."
The scale of disinformation production is staggering. A leaked report claims that in the first four months of 2024, the SDA’s bot army, dubbed the “Russian Digital Army,” generated 33.9 million comments. They also assert that they created 39,899 “content units” on social media, including 4,641 videos and 2,516 memes and graphics.
Clear quotas are established. For instance, in one project aimed at Germany and France, the quotas were as follows: “Cartoons — 60 units. Memes — 180 units. Comments on articles — 400.”
The primary targets of the SDA campaigns were the European Parliament elections, as well as elections in Germany and the U.S.
Russia's plan was to strengthen far-right forces in hopes of changing policies regarding Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow.
The documents also show that the SDA fabricated fake news and official documents, including stories about the "organ trafficking of Ukrainian children," which were later picked up by some politicians in the U.S.
These operations highlight Russia's extensive attempts to influence public opinion and political processes in the EU, using psychological warfare and disinformation to support its strategic interests.
