A Russian Disinformation Campaign Targets Israel and American Jews
The U.S. Department of Justice has revealed that a Russian disinformation campaign was launched to target Israel and American Jews with the intention of weakening support for Ukraine. This campaign involved the creation of a fake version of a Jewish newspaper to spread false information.
Details of the Campaign
The Russian propaganda effort spanned across 32 internet domains and extended into countries like Mexico, Germany, the United States, and Israel. The main goals of the campaign were to reduce international support for Ukraine, promote pro-Russian policies, and influence voters in various elections, including the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election in 2024.
The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office is actively investigating this case as part of a broader effort to prevent Russian interference in the upcoming U.S. election. It has been assessed by U.S. intelligence officials that Russia favors Republican candidate Donald Trump to win the election.
Propagation of Propaganda
The campaign involved the dissemination of Russian propaganda through various web domains, some of which imitated legitimate news websites like the Washington Post and the Forward, a Jewish publication. The operation included collaboration with Israeli influencers, activity across online platforms, and the posting of social media comments impersonating Israelis.
Impact on Israel and American Jews
The campaign aimed to exploit Israel’s political polarization and influence Israeli citizens to support Russia’s narrative regarding Ukraine and portray Ukraine’s government, led by Jewish President Volodymyr Zelensky, as neo-Nazis. The memo attached to the campaign outlined specific strategies to increase support for Russia among Israelis and exacerbate divisions among American Jews.
Previous Instances of Russian Disinformation
This is not the first time that Russian disinformation efforts have targeted Jews. Previous studies have shown Russian involvement in stoking antisemitism during tense moments in the United States. Russian interference in the 2016 election also implicated Russian Jewish oligarchs and individuals like Jared Kushner, who is Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser.
Russian disinformation campaigns continue to pose a threat to various communities, including Jews. For example, during the Paris Olympics, a viral video allegedly showing a Hamas fighter making threats was later found to be produced by a Russian disinformation outlet.