Russia Undertakes Disinformation Campaign Across Africa

Russia has launched sympathetic media outlets, courted anti-French public support, and created fake civil society organizations in turbulent African states, according to an investigation by Microsoft.

The computing giant’s report noted that coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon have brought instability to the continent, and Russia is capitalizing upon this instability with a range of influence campaigns.

Using Content to Stoke Anti-French Sentiment

In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where the prevalence of the French language is a post-colonial holdover, coup leaders have…