EU analysis finds Russian network spread disinformation during French riots

An internal European Union analysis has concluded that a Russian network called “Operation Overload” used social media to spread disinformation during the riots in France in October.

The assessment, covering the period 7 October to 21 October, says the network posted videos impersonating legitimate media outlets, some containing hostile anti‑immigrant propaganda such as claims that migrants had raped protesters. The aim, according to the report, was to portray French leadership as weak and increasingly authoritarian.

Operation Overload, active since September 2023, targets Western public figures, institutions and media outlets to discredit them and to promote Russian interests, the EU document states. A separate EU report published in March noted that the operation also employs artificial intelligence to create realistic videos of specific individuals.

Broader foreign influence

France’s foreign ministry assessment, also seen by Reuters, identified social‑media accounts linked to Israel and the U.S. “Make America Great Again” movement as spreading Islamophobic and anti‑immigrant narratives during the same unrest. French President Emmanuel Macron previously said there was “no visible foreign interference” during the riots, but acknowledged “foreign manipulation of information afterwards”.

The EU analysis warns that such foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) can “fuel fear and division, and shape public perceptions ahead of elections”.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Mathias Reding / Pexels.