Russian-linked disinformation campaigns are targeting pro-Ukraine candidates in France's upcoming presidential election, according to Viginum and disinformation experts. The campaigns have spread false claims aimed at damaging Raphaël Glucksmann, Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe, while an expert identifies erosion of trust in democratic institutions as a chief goal.
Viginum has detected hundreds of disinformation operations targeting the election, the agency reported. Two Russian-linked efforts, Matryoshka and Storm-1516, have been identified. Matryoshka, which poses as established media outlets, had produced 89 fake reports targeting candidates as of mid-October, according to Chine Labbe, senior vice-president for partnerships at NewsGuard. Storm-1516, linked to the GRU, uses generative AI to create entire fake websites.
The election, scheduled for April 2027, carries high stakes for Ukraine. France has emerged as a key military ally, providing long-range missiles, fighter jets, and artillery. A victory by far-right or far-left candidates could call France's role into question, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The disinformation campaigns have included false stories impersonating outlets such as BFM TV, Le Monde, and Libération. Glucksmann was falsely accused of helping set up torture prisons in Ukraine and spending over 2 million euros on private jet flights. Philippe was said to suffer from dementia, and Attal was claimed to have inherited a drug empire and supported student protests.
“The false claims typically portray them as mentally unstable, corrupt, and generally unfit for office, echoing the Russian-backed false claims that have targeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent years,” Labbe told the Kyiv Independent.
Amelie Jaques-Apke, a disinformation expert at Sciences Po, told the Kyiv Independent that the broader objective is to make whatever result emerges appear illegitimate. “Damaging individual candidates is the visible tactic. The more durable objective is to make whatever result emerges look illegitimate,” she said. She warned that the real risk lies in amplification when fakes are picked up by Russian officials or state media, pro-Russian figures in the West, or politicians who denounce them loudly.
Viginum described the operations as “mediocre” and “lacking visibility”. However, Jaques-Apke cautioned that the limited impact so far is no guarantee for April, as Russian disinformation continues to evolve with generative AI and professionalisation.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The disinformation campaigns could influence the outcome of the French presidential election, affecting Western support for Ukraine.
- Use of generative AI and professionalised tactics raises concerns about the vulnerability of democratic elections worldwide.
- Undermining trust in democratic institutions is a long-term threat to social cohesion.
Background
France will hold its presidential election in April 2027. Russia has been accused of interfering in elections in Europe and elsewhere. France, under President Emmanuel Macron, has been one of Ukraine's strongest military allies since Russia's full-scale invasion. The far-right and far-left candidates in France have been less supportive of Ukraine, making them potential beneficiaries of attempts to weaken pro-Ukraine candidates.
What to Watch
- Whether French authorities take countermeasures against the disinformation campaigns before the election.
- Potential for false claims to be amplified by political figures or media, increasing their impact.
- The evolution of disinformation tactics as generative AI becomes more accessible.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedRussia is targeting pro-Ukraine French candidates with disinformation campaigns.Kyiv Independent: “Moscow-linked campaigns have spread false claims that center-left Raphael Glucksmann helped set up torture prisons in Ukraine, that President Emmanuel Macron's protege Gabriel Attal inherited a drug empire, or that the centrist candidate Edouard Philippe suffers from dementia.”
- SupportedViginum detected hundreds of disinformation operations targeting the election.Kyiv Independent: “Viginum, the French agency that counters foreign interference, has already detected hundreds of disinformation operations targeting the vote”
- SupportedFalse claims aimed at damaging Glucksmann, Attal and Philippe have circulated.Kyiv Independent: “Moscow-linked campaigns have spread false claims that center-left Raphael Glucksmann helped set up torture prisons in Ukraine, that President Emmanuel Macron's protege Gabriel Attal inherited a drug empire, or that the centrist candidate Edouard Philippe suffers from dementia.”
- SupportedThe election is scheduled for April 2027.Kyiv Independent: “Undermining them ahead of the April 2027 election could pave the way for a runoff between far-right Marine Le Pen and far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon.”
- SupportedMatryoshka had produced 89 fake reports targeting candidates as of mid-October, according to Chine Labbe.Kyiv Independent: “"As of mid-October 2026, we had counted 89 fake Matryoshka reports targeting French presidential candidates."”
- SupportedStorm-1516 is linked to the GRU and uses generative AI to create entire fake websites.Kyiv Independent: “The other is Storm-1516, a more sophisticated campaign linked to the GRU that uses generative AI to set up whole new websites.”
- SupportedGlucksmann was falsely accused of helping set up torture prisons in Ukraine.Kyiv Independent: “The fake story went on to allege that the French politician then used his experience to establish similar operations in Ukraine after the EuroMaidan Revolution”
- SupportedA false report claimed Glucksmann spent over 2 million euros on private jet flights.Kyiv Independent: “The same operation was behind more recent false reports — posing as the French environmental news site Reporterre — that Glucksmann spent over 2 million euros ($2.2 million) on private jet flights”
- SupportedLabbe said the false claims portray the candidates as mentally unstable, corrupt and unfit for office, echoing claims about Zelensky.Kyiv Independent: “"The false claims typically portray them as mentally unstable, corrupt, and generally unfit for office, echoing the Russian-backed false claims that have targeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent years," Labbe said.”
- SupportedJaques-Apke said the durable objective is to make any election result look illegitimate.Kyiv Independent: “"Damaging individual candidates is the visible tactic. The more durable objective is to make whatever result emerges look illegitimate," Jaques-Apke told the Kyiv Independent.”
- SupportedJaques-Apke warned that fakes gain reach when amplified by Russian officials or state media, pro-Russian figures in the West, or politicians denouncing them.Kyiv Independent: “"The real risk lies in amplification," Jaques-Apke says. "These fakes gain reach when they are picked up by Russian officials or state media, by pro-Russian figures in the West, or when politicians denounce them loudly and unintentionally spread them further."”
- Partly supportedA far-right or far-left victory could call France's role as a military ally into question.Kyiv Independent: “A victory by far-right or far-left candidates would likely call this role into question.”