“US Disrupts Russian Internet Propaganda Campaign Backed by Kremlin Using AI Technology”

The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that a Russian internet propaganda campaign backed by the Kremlin, which spread disinformation in the United States and relied on artificial intelligence, has been disrupted.

According to U.S. officials, the operation aimed to sow discord in the U.S. by creating fictitious social media profiles that appeared to belong to authentic Americans but were actually advancing the Russian government’s agenda. This included spreading disinformation about the ongoing war with Ukraine.

The scheme, organized in 2022, involved a senior editor at RT, a Russian-state-funded media organization, helping to develop technology for a social media bot farm. The Kremlin provided support and financial backing, with an officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service leading a private intelligence organization to promote disinformation through fake accounts on social media.

FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that this disruption represents a significant step in thwarting a Russian-sponsored AI-enhanced social media bot farm meant to spread disinformation on a larger scale. The aim was to undermine Ukraine and influence geopolitical narratives favorable to Russia.

Among the fake posts created by the propaganda campaign was a video of Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming that certain territories in Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania were “gifts” from Russia during World War II. Additionally, fake accounts responded to social media posts about the war in Ukraine with videos of Putin justifying Russia’s actions.

As part of the disruption, the Justice Department seized domain names and searched nearly 1,000 accounts on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. A joint cybersecurity advisory by U.S., Dutch, and Canadian authorities revealed that the software used in the campaign, known as Meliorator, spread disinformation to several countries beyond the U.S.

The disruption of the Russian propaganda campaign comes amidst concerns about foreign influence campaigns impacting elections and the potential for AI technology to be exploited in similar disinformation efforts. The actions taken by U.S. officials underscore the ongoing battle against malicious actors seeking to manipulate public opinion through online platforms.