[REVISION HISTORY]

Russian disinformation targeting French elections

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-12 12:18 UTC → 2026-08-13 22:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

French political figures have become targets of suspected Russian-linked disinformation campaigns ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. In early August, Édouard Philippe, the mayor of Le Havre, was targeted by a coordinated operation attributed to the pro-Russian network Storm-1516. This operation utilized AI-generated posts and synthetic voices to falsely claim Philippe suffers from frontotemporal dementia. In response, French officials proposed tripling punishments for the production of false electoral content. By mid-August, investigations identified another influence operation, referred to as Matryoshka, targeting former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. This campaign involved deepfake videos mimicking major news outlets to spread false reports regarding Attal’s health, including unsubstantiated claims of Parkinson’s disease, and linking him to political scandals. Attal has filed a lawsuit following these fabrications, while French security agencies, including Viginum and the SGDSN, have issued warnings regarding the threat to electoral integrity. Recent legal actions have expanded as Raphaël Glucksmann also filed a complaint following what he described as Russian-linked interference. Glucksmann stated that the Storm-1516 group, allegedly directed by the GRU, was involved in a campaign that included a deepfake video involving his partner, journalist Léa Salamé. Researchers from the AntiBot4Navalny network have linked these activities to the Matryoshka operation, noting that fabricated videos used the branding of established outlets such as Le Figaro and Libération. The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into these matters.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.