Recorded Future’s Insikt Group detailed an ongoing and highly sophisticated influence operation conducted by a Russia-linked network named 'Doppelgänger' that targets audiences in Ukraine, the United States, and Germany through the use of inauthentic news sites and social media accounts.
The first campaign, focused on Ukrainian audiences, saw Doppelgänger employing hundreds of social media accounts engaged in Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (CIB). These accounts shared links to deceptive articles impersonating reputable Ukrainian news organizations, disseminating narratives aimed at undermining Ukraine’s military strength and political stability.
In subsequent campaigns that targeted the US and Germany, the group established six original but entirely inauthentic news outlets likely using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create deceptive news articles.
The US-focused campaign, timed ahead of the 2024 US election, aimed to exploit societal and political divisions. Doppelgänger strategically fueled anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, criticized US military competence, and amplified political divisions surrounding the country's support for Ukraine.
Simultaneously, the German-focused campaign aimed to highlight and exaggerate Germany's economic and social issues. The intention was to erode confidence in German leadership and foster nationalist sentiment, further dividing the country.
Most notably, the ongoing influence operation incorporated advanced obfuscation techniques, including the manipulation of social media thumbnails, strategic first- and second-stage website redirects, and a probable reliance on generative AI for the creation of deceptive news articles.
“Doppelgänger exemplifies the enduring, scalable, and adaptable nature of Russian information warfare, demonstrating strategic patience aimed at gradually shifting public opinion and behavior,” the researchers said. “Doppelgänger has demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, and an evolution in its tactics, such as its increased use of first- and second-stage websites, creating original but inauthentic news organizations, and likely using generative AI to produce influence content. Doppelgänger’s evolving tactics suggest that the network is willing to invest in extra measures to evade detection and circumvent countermeasures, thereby making it more difficult for researchers and defenders to identify and disrupt malign influence activity.”
