UK sanctions Russian disinfo agencies for efforts to undermine Ukraine and Western support

2 minutes read

The UK government announced new sanctions against three Russian agencies and three senior figures on 28 October 2024, targeting organizations involved in spreading disinformation and attempting to destabilize Ukraine.

Russian actors have been carrying out multiple disinformation campaigns against Ukraine and pro-Ukrainian political forces abroad, trying to undermine the Western support and destabilize Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office reports that the Social Design Agency (SDA), funded directly by the Russian state, along with its partner company Structura, has been conducting interference operations designed to undermine democracy and weaken international support for Ukraine.

“Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said per the UK government press release.

The sanctioned PR agencies include the Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technologies, and ANO DIALOG. The individuals targeted are Ilya Andreevich Gambashidze (SDA founder), Nikolay Aleksandrovich Tupikin (SDA CEO and Structura owner), and Andrey Naumovich Perla (SDA Project Director).

According to UK officials, these organizations are responsible for operating the Doppelganger network, which spreads fake posts, counterfeit documents, and deepfake material through at least 120 websites spoofing existing news and government platforms.

The US, Canada, France, European External Action Service (EEAS), Germany and Australia joined the UK in condemning SDA’s activities globally.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.

We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia’s war against Ukraine and Ukraine’s struggle to build a democratic society.

A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.

Become a Patron!

Source link