The Central Intelligence Agency at the National Security and Defense Council has discovered a large-scale network of fake Russian websites
The Center for countering disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine discovered a large network of fake sites called CopyCop (aka Storm-1516, Neva Flood). She, according to with the CPD report, is under the control of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia.
The CopyCop network has over 160 domains. Its main goal is to spread pro-Russian narratives, discredit Ukraine, interfere in election processes in Western countries, and undermine trust in Western media and institutions. Russian intelligence services spread fake news under the guise of well-known or supposedly independent media using materials created with the help of artificial intelligence, including Deepfake technology.
To create the effect of authenticity, the Russian side engages real people to voice the texts or participate in staged videos. Social networks, in particular X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, are the main channels for spreading disinformation. To accelerate the spread of fakes, CopyCop actively uses temporary accounts and bot networks.
One of the key coordinators of the CPD network is John Mark Dugan, a former American police officer who received political asylum in Russia after the charges brought against him in the United States.
According to the NSDC, he runs the disinformation portal DCWeekly and hundreds of fake sites, coordinating his activities with Russian special services and propagandists. His materials are aimed at audiences in the USA, Europe and Ukraine. The network publishes thousands of fake articles every month. CopyCop-related hoaxes have recently reached more than 55 million views on social media, according to the CPD.
“Such a scale and speed of spread make SoruSor one of the most dangerous networks of information influence,” the NSDC noted, stressing that “the countermeasure against SoruSor requires the adoption of innovative solutions and close international cooperation”. – says the report.
