The Austrian State Security and Intelligence Service (DSN) said it has taken down a network allegedly orchestrating a large-scale disinformation campaign on behalf of Russia, aimed at manipulating public opinion within Austria. According to the agency, the primary goal of this operation was to sway public and political views to the detriment of Ukraine and in favor of Russia.
In an official statement, the DSN said that the campaign sought to "manipulate public and political opinion to harm Ukraine and benefit Russia." The campaign's coordinator, identified as a Bulgarian national, remains unnamed. The disinformation efforts were described as having a destabilizing effect on Austria’s social cohesion and public trust in institutions.
The operation was uncovered following the analysis of electronic devices seized during a raid in December 2024 at the residence of the suspected Bulgarian national. The DSN claims that the disinformation activities began shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a particular focus on German-speaking countries, and more specifically, Austria.
The intelligence service further reports that the suspect has confessed to her involvement in the operation. The woman has been charged with espionage, and authorities assert that she was largely responsible for executing the disinformation campaign, which was allegedly coordinated from Russia. However, no details have been provided regarding the individuals in Russia who may have been involved in directing these activities.
The campaign’s objectives, according to the DSN, were to negatively influence public opinion in Austria, turning it against Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. The disinformation campaign involved both online activities and offline efforts, such as distributing leaflets and creating graffiti that falsely appeared to be from pro-Ukrainian activists. The operatives also reportedly used far-right and nationalist symbols, as well as hateful language targeting Russians and Jews, in a bid to sow doubt about Ukraine’s democratic values.
The EU’s External Action team reported that China and Russia were the most common sources of disinformation and foreign interference targeting the EU and its partner countries in 2024. The EU uncovered more than 38,000 online channels spreading disinformation across its member states, with the ongoing war in Ukraine remaining the central issue for the third consecutive year. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, along with third-party websites, were the primary channels used for disseminating false information.
