Alert! Russian Disinformation in Polish Presidential Election 2025
Foreign Deception Tactics Imitating Individuals, Aimed at Poland's 2025 Presidential Vote Stir Controversy Straight from Russia
With only a month to go until Poland's presidential election, a shocking revelation by European disinfo watchdogs has exposed that the Russians are back at it again, manipulating public discourse with their influence operations in the country. Here's a lowdown on Operation Doppelganger, the continuing Russian campaign that's targeting the Polish electorate.
Get to know the con artists - Operation Doppelganger
First busted in 2022 by EU DisinfoLab, this operation is like a cunning cat and mouse game. It's all about creating fake websites that perfectly replicate the design and URL structure of legitimate European media outlets. These counterfeit platforms dish out false or skewed content that aligns with the Kremlin's narratives. Once that propaganda is ready, it's distributed through coordinated social media campaigns involving bots and fake accounts.
The idea is simple, make it look like genuine journalism while slipping in indoctrination. The original campaign had prominent targets like France, Germany, and the US, particularly during times of political tension or military engagement involving Ukraine. But now, Poland is smack in the middle of this information warfare strategy.
Familiar faces, deceitful tricks
Researchers have spotted 279 shady posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) between March 4th and April 4th, 2025. Many of these posts linked to some of the leading Polish news platforms, including TVN24, Onet, Interia, and Wprost, often guiding readers to forged sites rather than the real deal.
The content on these fraudulent sites? Oh, just a healthy dose of anti-Ukrainian sentiment, critical blasts against Western sanctions on Russia, and claims that Poland's support for Ukraine is damaging its economy and international standing. They didn't stop there; other articles attacked Polish political figures, including President Andrzej Duda and candidates running in the upcoming election.
One popular narrative falsely claimed that Polish troops were sneakily being sent to Ukraine, putting direct conflict with Russia on the horizon. Another favorite myth was repeating the unfounded assertion that Ukrainian refugees are given preferential treatment over Polish citizens.
But let's not forget that timing is everything, and it seems these messages aren't just coincidental. With the Polish presidential election being a crucial test for democratic stability in the region, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating geopolitical tensions across Europe, Russia's efforts seem intent on fueling political polarization, undermining trust in institutions, and potentially dampening voter turnout.
A multilingual, well-oiled machine
Although Polish was the primary language of the disinformation posts, some translations into English and German could be found. Experts believe this campaign may also aim to shape external perceptions of Poland's political climate and international role.
The operation's reach may have been limited, but it was highly coordinated. In many instances, similar posts appeared across multiple fake accounts within minutes of each other, hinting at automation tools and pre-planned content schedules. The cloned websites were crafted with domain names that closely mirrored those of legitimate Polish outlets. Small alterations in spelling or the use of alternative domain endings made it tricky for casual readers to distinguish real from fake sources.
A stand against manipulation
In response to the report, Poland's Ministry of Digital Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding cyberspace and preserving election integrity. The Ministry is partnering with EU allies and independent fact-checkers to monitor and counter disinformation campaigns.
The European External Action Service (EEAS) also weighed in, condemning Russia's continued attempts to interfere in democratic processes within EU member states.
The future is (a little) brighter – it's all about media literacy
Experts argue that the best defense against disinformation is a well-equipped citizenry with strong media literacy skills. Whether it's in classrooms or in our homes, teaching people to be critical consumers of the news is of utmost importance.
Debunk.org and other fact-checking organizations have launched educational initiatives to help voters identify false sites and verify sources. Their guidance includes double-checking URLs, comparing articles with those on legitimate platforms, and reporting suspect content to reliable watchdogs.
As Poland marches towards a vital presidential election, the revival of Operation Doppelganger serves as a grim reminder that these complex, ever-evolving foreign information warfare strategies won't stop anytime soon. Staying vigilant, fostering transparency, and working together – civil society, media, and government – will be essential in ensuring that the Polish public can vote freely from manipulation.
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- As the Polish presidential election approaches, concerns regarding Russian disinformation tactics continue to escalate, with the cunning Operation Doppelganger targeting the Polish electorate.
- The operation, initially exposed in 2022 by EU DisinfoLab, involves the creation of counterfeit media outlet websites that mirror legitimate European platforms, distributing false or skewed content aligned with Kremlin narratives.
- In the lead-up to the election, researchers found 279 deceptive posts on social media X, linking to leading Polish news platforms like TVN24, Onet, Interia, and Wprost, guiding readers to fake sites instead of authentic sources.
- The content on these forged sites promotes anti-Ukrainian sentiment, criticizes Western sanctions on Russia, and claims that Poland's support for Ukraine damages its economy and international standing, among other narratives.
- These disinformation efforts seem aimed at fueling political polarization, eroding trust in institutions, and potentially suppressing voter turnout, given the ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalating tensions across Europe.
- Although Polish was the primary language of the false posts, some translations into English and German were also found, potentially mimicking the Kremlin's ambition to shape external perceptions of Poland's political climate and international role.
- Poland's Ministry of Digital Affairs has pledged to safeguard cyberspace and preserve election integrity, partnering with EU allies and independent fact-checkers to monitor and counter disinformation campaigns.
- In a joint statement, the European External Action Service (EEAS) condemned Russia's ongoing attempts to interfere in democratic processes of EU member states.
- Experts emphasize that media literacy is crucial in countering disinformation, with fact-checking organizations launching educational initiatives to help voters identify false sources and verify information, stressing the importance of double-checking URLs, comparing articles, and reporting suspicious content to reliable watchdogs.
