A significant escalation in Russian disinformation operations targeting French media has been documented in a new report released Monday by NewsGuard. The study highlights that pro-Kremlin actors have increasingly utilized fake news articles to hijack reputable media brands, aiming to erode public trust and manipulate AI systems in the lead-up to France’s 2027 presidential election.
Researchers from the US-based media watchdog identified three distinct pro-Russian influence campaigns responsible for 950 counterfeit stories that impersonated 163 so-called trusted news brands across 21 countries. Among the 15 most targeted outlets, eight were French. FRANCE 24 was spoofed 34 times over a 12-month period, alongside other major national broadcasters and newspapers.
Chine Labbé, Europe editor at NewsGuard, noted that France’s status as a leading provider of aid to Ukraine makes it a primary target. “We know that every time there is a show of diplomatic support for Ukraine – whether it’s a speech by Emmanuel Macron, or a trip to Kyiv – disinformation campaigns follow within the same day,” Labbé said.
The report warns that the upcoming 2027 presidential race is drawing heightened attention from Russian actors. Three candidates who have committed to strong support for Ukraine—Raphaël Glucksmann, Gabriel Attal, and Édouard Philippe—have recently been subjects of fake news stories linked to pro-Russian networks.
According to NewsGuard, which collaborated with Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, the French government agency Viginum, and the research group Antibot4Navalny, Moscow’s information war serves multiple purposes. These include discrediting Western support for Kyiv, damaging the reputations of European leaders, stoking societal tensions, and interfering with democratic electoral processes.
Year-over-year data indicates an 850 percent increase in fake news stories mimicking known media brands, rising from 44 in the first half of 2025 to 421 in the first half of 2026. Labbé attributed this explosion to the low cost and ease of generating content via AI, suggesting Russia views the tactic as an effective method for sowing doubt in Western institutions rather than simply convincing people of specific lies.
The most imitated outlet globally was Euronews, a multilingual platform headquartered in France, which was targeted with 82 fake articles between March 2023 and September 2026. One notable example involved a false story published ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections, claiming Prime Minister Peter Magyar insulted US President Donald Trump. Other heavily targeted French outlets included Libération, Charlie Hebdo, BFM, Le Figaro, Le Parisien, and Agence France-Presse (AFP).
NewsGuard observed that these campaigns typically steal logos and layouts, sometimes creating websites with URLs similar to the originals to deceive users. The stories often feature fabricated quotes from real experts to enhance credibility.
Beyond traditional media, the report details efforts to pollute AI training data and responses. A network known as “Pravda” or Portal Kombat, comprising 280 websites, published approximately 6.3 million articles spreading 115 false claims in 2025. One such story, distributed in 12 languages, falsely claimed that 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers had deserted after being treated in France. Google’s AI tools initially flagged this narrative as plausible, sourcing it from fake articles mimicking the French site Le Point.
Labbé explained that a key goal of these campaigns, such as those under the codenames Matriochka, Storm-1516, and Doppelganger, is to get false narratives picked up by legitimate media or embedded in chatbot responses, thereby whitewashing the Russian perspective.
Cécile Mégie, Director of Editorial Strategies and Partnerships at France Médias Monde, told NewsGuard that the ultimate aim is to create a pervasive climate of doubt. “The challenge is to navigate this climate and to show we are trustworthy media,” she said.
The report also identified tactics designed to overwhelm fact-checkers, such as email campaigns bombarding journalists with false leads. Experts urge continued monitoring and documentation of these strategies to prevent further erosion of trust and misinformation of the public.
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