Russian-linked cyber campaigns target France

Some efforts, as detailed by French officials and cybersecurity experts across Europe and the United States, underscore a deliberate attempt to sow confusion and discord, particularly intensified in light of France's legislative elections and the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Images showing blood-red hands on a Holocaust memorial, caskets displayed at the Eiffel Tower, a fabricated French military recruitment initiative for Ukraine, and the unlikely registration of major French news websites in a remote Pacific territory with a population of 15,000 — all these are elements of disinformation campaigns originating from Russia and aimed at France.

This information comes from French officials and cybersecurity experts across Europe and the United States. The intensity of these efforts escalated notably with France's legislative elections and the upcoming Paris Olympics, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Over the past year, over a dozen reports have highlighted an increasingly concerted effort from Russia aimed at undermining France, with particular focus on the upcoming Games and President Emmanuel Macron, who stands out as one of Ukraine’s strongest advocates in Europe. This report, backed by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, forms part of an Associated Press series examining challenges to democracy across Europe.

In early summer 2023, Russian-led disinformation campaigns targeting France began online, with tangible effects emerging in October when over 1,000 bots connected to Russia disseminated images of graffitied Stars of David in Paris and its suburbs. According to a French intelligence report, the Russian intelligence agency FSB was implicated in ordering the tagging and subsequent vandalism of a Holocaust memorial commemorating those who aided Jews during World War II. Cybersecurity experts assert that photos from these incidents were amplified on social media through fake accounts associated with the Russian disinformation site RRN. Despite these findings, Russia denies involvement in any such campaigns. The French intelligence report identifies RRN as part of a broader initiative overseen by Sergei Kiriyenko, a senior Kremlin official.

“This is part of a larger ecosystem,” explained a French military official, speaking anonymously to disclose details about Russia’s efforts. “It’s a hybrid strategy.”

The graffiti and vandalism, while unrelated to Russia's conflict in Ukraine, triggered a significant response within the French political sphere, prompting condemnations in parliament and sparking public debate. Antisemitic incidents have been increasing in France, and the conflict in Gaza has further polarized opinions.

The appearance of Stars of David in graffiti could be interpreted in various ways—either as a show of support for Israel or as an act of opposition. Regardless, the aim was to sow discord and unease. Despite comprising just 500,000 individuals, French Jews have found themselves unintentionally thrust into the political spotlight, representing a minority within the broader French population.

In March, shortly after President Macron discussed the potential deployment of French military forces to Ukraine, a fabricated recruitment campaign emerged for the French army in Ukraine. This campaign spread through Russian- and French-language Telegram channels and garnered attention in Russian and Belarusian media, according to a separate report from the French government obtained by The Associated Press. On June 1, caskets bearing the inscription “French soldiers in Ukraine” were displayed outside the Eiffel Tower.

While these disinformation efforts have had limited impact in France itself, officials suggest that their primary audience may have been in Russia. The aim appears to have been to reinforce President Putin's narrative that Russia's conflict in Ukraine is fundamentally a battle against the West.

The French military official emphasized that beyond immediate objectives, there exists a concerted and sustained campaign aimed at fostering social division, undermining trust in media and democratic institutions, weakening NATO, and diminishing Western solidarity with Ukraine. Moreover, disparaging the Olympics, particularly since most Russian athletes are barred from competing, serves as an additional goal, as noted by French officials who are monitoring increasingly aggressive posts predicting turmoil leading up to the Games.

Further complicating matters, on June 9, the far-right National Rally in France decisively defeated Macron’s party in the European Parliament elections. Historically aligned with Russia, the party has longstanding ties to President Putin, with one of its prominent leaders, Marine Le Pen, cultivating a relationship with him over many years. Le Pen publicly supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Additionally, Jordan Bardella, the party’s leading candidate for prime minister, has expressed opposition to supplying Kyiv with long-range weapons.