In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce the Russian disinformation network “Doppelgänger”. Doppelgänger is an influence and hybrid operation spreading Kremlin propaganda via AI-generated fake news websites and social media sites, especially X.

Doppelgänger is a massive influence operation that was initially exposed back in 2022. Their modus operandi is to create near-identical copies of large, legitimate Western news outlets to spread anti-Ukraine, anti-Western and anti-NATO narratives.

The operation, overseen by Putin’s top aide Sergei Kiriyenko (who’s reportedly communicated with Elon), uses Russian firms like Social Design Agency (SDA) to create fake news sites that mimick legitimate media like The Washington Post, The Guardian, Bild and Fox News.

These fake sites publish pro-Russian propaganda disguised as real news, complete with stolen trademarks, journalist bylines, and nearly identical website designs. The sites use slightly altered web addresses, tricking readers into believing they’re legitimate.

After publishing the fake news, Doppelgänger amplifies the content using thousands of social media accounts, forums, and even email campaigns. The goal is to make the disinformation seem organic and credible. Much of this activity has been automated with generative AI.

Doppelgänger’s core narratives range from anti-Ukraine content to allegations of “elite governments” neglecting their own people, claims that the sanctions against Russia are ineffective, calls for peace negotiations and calls to end weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

One major narrative pushed by Doppelgänger is that Western aid to Ukraine is a waste, that it goes in the pockets of corrupt officials, or that it fuels global instability. This aligns perfectly with the Kremlin’s goal of weakening Western support for Ukraine and Zelenskyy.

Doppelgänger’s reach extends far beyond websites. The group uses fake social media profiles posing as Americans and other Western citizens to share links to their content, amplifying the impact. The campaign also buys targeted social media ads to push these narratives.

FBI investigators found records of strategy meetings where Kiriyenko (who, again, was allegedly in contact with Elon) and other Kremlin officials directed the operation, prioritizing anti-Ukraine, pro-Kremlin messaging and efforts to undermine NATO and Western governments.

In addition to the US, Doppelgänger also runs influence campaigns targeting Germany, France, Israel, and Mexico, with the intent not only of indirectly shaping US politics through diaspora communities, but also pushing pro-Kremlin policies within these countries.

EU & US officials along with cybersecurity firms, like Meta’s Threat Intelligence team, have been actively taking down Doppelgänger-linked websites, but new domains & accounts pop up constantly, keeping the operation alive. Today, the campaign is bigger than ever before.

Russia’s disinformation machine also adapts quickly. After being exposed, Doppelgänger shifted their focus to X, Telegram, WhatsApp, and fringe platforms where fact-checking is minimal or non-existent.

Today, their favorite and preferred platform is of course X.

Another key tactic the group uses is “information laundering”. Russian state media outlets like RT and Sputnik amplify Doppelgänger’s stories, making them seem more credible. But they’re also spread by large, often conspiracy theory and MAGA related social media accounts.

Doppelgänger is by no means a new operation — it was first reported on in August 2022, and since then, there have been over 20 reports and hundreds of articles about the group.

Yet, Doppelgänger perseveres, which just shows how difficult it is to combat this problem.

Doppelgänger’s operations often peak around major geopolitical events like NATO summits or Ukraine aid votes, when public opinion is most vulnerable to manipulation. Recently, they’ve been spreading disinformation around the German elections taking place on 23 February 2025.

Russian bots are flooding X with disinformation on a daily basis ahead of the election. The strategy is the same as before: use of fake news sites and AI-generated content to undermine trust in Western institutions and sway public opinion in favor of Russia.

German authorities have identified over 100 sites that were inactive for months but are now spreading Kremlin-aligned bullshit. These sites are carbon copies of real media, blending generic and false content to mislead voters on issues like Ukraine and domestic politics.

The campaign focuses on X, as almost none of its moderation policies are enforced, and there is no effective bot detection in place. Previous exposés have shown that Russians prefer X due to its inability — or its leadership’s lack of motivation — to combat bots & trolls.

Perhaps due to this campaign, German courts recently ordered X to hand over all election-related data. This order will be the first real test of the effectiveness of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to shift more responsibility onto big tech giants.

To conclude: Doppelgänger isn’t the only Russian disinformation operation, but it’s one of the most dangerous due to its scale and sophistication. Their goal is simple: stop any support for Ukraine, erode trust in Western institutions and polarize societies.

You can now pre-order the 2nd edition of “Vatnik Soup — The Ultimate Guide to Russian Disinformation”! This updated version, featuring pre-order extras, will be released on the 15th of February 2025.

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