The Kremlin-linked Matryoshka bot network has launched a new wave of disinformation targeting European leaders, this time focusing on French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The campaign is highlighted by contradicting false claims that Macron is both overly militaristic and dangerously weak, along with false accusations that Merz has personally profited from aid intended for Ukraine. The posts were collected by AntiBot4Navalny, a project that monitors bot activity on social media.
One of the main themes promoted by the Matryoshka network was France’s test of a new ballistic missile, which was indeed launched from a nuclear-powered submarine on Oct. 6 with Macron looking on. In a post on X, the French president wrote:
“Very few nations possess such expertise…To be free, one must be feared. And to be feared, one must be powerful.”
In videos circulated by the bot network, Macron is accused of “toxic masculinity.” The claim is falsely attributed to Kimberly Kagan, president of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an organization whose brand, logo, and personnel are frequently used by the Matryoshka network to lend credence to its false claims. Kagan is also made to appear to say that such weapons would be incapable of standing up to Russia.
Another video, falsely presented as coming from French broadcaster RFI, says Macron is bluffing and claims France’s military sector is “catastrophically” behind “the rest of...
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