Officials identified fake websites and political ads in Moldova’s recent election and noted fake-news outlets spreading videos with fabricated claims about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to weaken public backing.
They traced these coordinated efforts to actors seeking to erode support for Ukraine and destabilise democratic processes across Europe.
UK Targets Foreign Information Campaigns
The UK imposed sanctions on Russian media and ideological organisations as its foreign minister urged Western nations to strengthen defences against information warfare from hostile states.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced sanctions on the Telegram channel Rybar, the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, and the Centre for Geopolitical Expertise led by Aleksandr Dugin.
Estonian intelligence previously described the foundation as a front for Russia’s GRU, prompting heightened scrutiny.
Cooper also sanctioned two China-based companies for wide-ranging cyber operations targeting the UK and allied nations.
During a Foreign Office speech, Cooper warned that Britain and its partners face escalating hybrid attacks designed to damage infrastructure, threaten national interests, and infiltrate democratic systems.
She labelled these actions Russian information warfare and insisted that Britain is actively defending itself.
She emphasised that threats include sabotage and digital campaigns that saturate social platforms with AI-generated or manipulated videos aimed at weakening Western backing for Ukraine.
Officials highlighted fabricated websites and false political content in Moldova and pointed again to fake stories about Zelenskyy and his wife meant to erode support for Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion.
UK Underscores Global Cooperation Amid Rising Tension
Cooper delivered her remarks on the centenary of the Locarno Treaties, which supported European peace after the First World War.
She underscored the value of international unity as US President Donald Trump continues to unsettle long-standing alliances and raise doubts about Washington’s NATO commitments.
Cooper met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Monday and said those discussions showed clear and strong US support for NATO.
