A Russian Telegram channel with over 700,000 followers is spreading disinformation about Russia's invasion of Ukraine under the guise of providing "objective information" and fact-checking fake news. Its influence extends beyond the platform, with major Russian publications, government officials, and journalists citing the page's posts. The channel appears to be part of the broader information war that has developed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has paid Russian TikTok influencers to push propaganda, according to a Vice News investigation, while ProPublica found that fake Russian fact check videos had been viewed over a million times on Telegram. However, the perpetrators of such frauds are now adopting new methods and technologies to defraud the investors. "Your messages about the movement of the enemy through the official chatbot โฆ bring new trophies every day," the government agency tweeted. In a message on his Telegram channel recently recounting the episode, Durov wrote: "I lost my company and my home, but would do it again โ without hesitation."
from nl