# Russian disinformation campaigns in Europe

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/20261021-russian-disinformation-campaigns-in-europe
> Updated: 2026-10-21T05:52:03.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

NewsGuard has reported a significant increase in disinformation campaigns across Europe, noting that Russian and pro-Russian networks are increasingly impersonating legitimate media outlets. Since 2022, over 900 instances of fake news have been identified using the branding of reputable organizations like the BBC, Deutsche Welle, and Agence France-Presse. These operations, attributed to networks such as ‘Matryoshka’ and ‘Storm-1516’, utilize generative AI to create convincing deceptive content intended to undermine public trust in journalism.

Following periods of civil unrest in France, Italy, Belgium, and Spain, European regulators have launched investigations into foreign online interference. While officials have found no concrete evidence that foreign powers directly organized street violence, leaders have noted the exploitation of these events through information manipulation. French President Emmanuel Macron and other officials highlighted how narratives from Russia, China, and Iran have amplified chaos. In Italy, the unrest has been characterized as a ‘hybrid war’ conducted via social media platforms, with investigations focusing on how algorithms and false footage are used to spread misinformation.

Recent investigations have identified pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts, including those linked to the Storm-1516 and Matryoshka networks, spreading violent videos to fuel chaos. Other suspected sources of influence operations include Iran and Algeria. Specific instances of disinformation include a video of 2024 protests in Tbilisi being falsely presented as footage from France, which garnered nearly six million views on X. The European Commission is currently evaluating potential interventions if platforms fail to cooperate in curbing the spread of such content.

## Claims

- There is no concrete evidence that foreign powers directly organized the street violence. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto described the unrest as a 'hybrid war' using social media platforms. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- European regulators are investigating potential foreign online interference and disinformation campaigns. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts have circulated violent videos to increase chaos. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Researcher David Colon identified pro-Kremlin influencers linked to the Storm-1516 and Matryoshka networks. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- A video of 2024 protests in Tbilisi was falsely presented as footage from France, receiving nearly six million views on X. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that narratives from Russia, China, Iran, and the MAGA community have exploited protests. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-21: European regulators investigate foreign disinformation amid unrest

European regulators are probing foreign disinformation campaigns, including pro-Russian and far-right networks, that exploited recent civil unrest in France and Italy to spread misinformation and fuel chaos.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-regulators-investigate-foreign-disinformation-amid-unrest

### 2026-10-06: NewsGuard reports surge in European media impersonation by Russian networks

NewsGuard reports a surge in Russian-linked disinformation campaigns in Europe, where networks impersonate major media outlets like Euronews and the BBC to spread false narratives and undermine trust.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/newsguard-reports-surge-in-european-media-impersonation-by-russian-networks

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Cite as: Russian disinformation campaigns in Europe. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/20261021-russian-disinformation-campaigns-in-europe