Meta Platforms said it had dismantled a network of group accounts targeting Russian-speaking Moldovans ahead of the country's October 20 presidential election.
Moldova is a former Soviet republic located between Romania and Ukraine.
According to Meta, the removed network had been promoting criticism of pro-European President Maia Sandu, who is seeking a second term in office and pro-EU politicians while supporting pro-Russia parties in Moldova. The campaign also targeted Moldova’s close relations with neighboring Romania. The investigation revealed that the operation was centered on about a dozen fictitious, Russian-language news brands posing as independent outlets. The brands had a presence across several platforms, including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, as well as Telegram, OK.ru (Odnoklassniki), and TikTok.
The network originated from Russia and Moldova, especially from the Transnistria region—a breakaway territory in Moldova with strong pro-Russian sentiment, according to Meta.
The individuals behind this activity used fake accounts, some of which had been previously detected and disabled, to spread content and point users to off-platform channels, particularly on Telegram. Some of the accounts went through multiple name changes over time and used profile pictures likely generated through artificial intelligence (AI), particularly GAN (generative adversarial networks) technology.
The content posted by the fake accounts included original materials, such as political cartoons critical of President Sandu and Moldova’s pro-European movement. They expressed favorable commentary about pro-Russian parties, with some posts mentioning exiled oligarch Ilan Shor and his political activities. The campaign also attempted to engage users with offers of money, food, and concert tickets in exchange for following their accounts or promoting the campaign through graffiti.
Meta also noted that the operation frequently reshared articles from legitimate news sources but with a clear pro-Russian, anti-EU slant.
The investigation also uncovered connections to a fake engagement service offering fake likes and followers on multiple social media platforms. Limited connections were also found between the observed operation and a similar network from the Luhansk region (occupied by Russia since 2014) in Ukraine that Meta had dismantled in 2020.