Sanctions for Russian disinformation linked to Kate rumours

Earlier this year, the Princess of Wales, Catherine, found herself at the center of a whirlwind of rumors circulating on social media. The UK government has now taken action against six Russian agencies and individuals who are believed to be part of a disinformation network known as the Doppelganger group. This group has been linked to the spread of false information about the princess, which the Foreign Office described as part of a 'vast malign online network' aimed at causing disruption and confusion. The disinformation campaign is said to have targeted countries that support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. In March, when the princess was not in the public eye due to health issues, the group intensified its efforts to amplify these false narratives. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House, has also raised concerns about Russian interference in US elections. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, stated, 'Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine that he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest. ' He emphasized that the sanctions imposed today send a clear message that the UK will not tolerate lies and interference from Russia. The sanctions specifically target a group of agencies and senior staff identified as part of the disinformation network commonly referred to as Doppelganger. Security experts from Cardiff University have linked this operation to the online rumors about the Princess of Wales, which only ceased when she publicly disclosed her cancer diagnosis. The French government has also accused the Doppelganger group of attempting to undermine support for Ukraine and disrupt elections. The UK's Foreign Office claims that this disinformation group has created numerous fake versions of legitimate news websites, tricking social media users into accessing false information, which in turn stokes divisions and creates confusion. The Foreign Office described the campaign as one that 'plagues social media with fake posts, counterfeit documents, and deepfake material. ' The individuals and groups sanctioned by the UK include the Social Design Agency, Structura National Technologies, Ano Dialog, and several individuals such as Ilya Andreevich Gambashidze, Nikolay Aleksandrovich Tupikin, and Andrey Naumovich Perla. In response to these accusations, Russia has denied any involvement in online interference. President Putin recently told a BBC reporter that it is incorrect to claim that Russia is inciting protests in European cities, attributing the unrest to domestic politics instead. The US State Department welcomed the UK's announcement of sanctions, stating that it addresses a significant threat posed by Kremlin-produced disinformation that is covertly placed in local outlets to appear as genuine news articles. Last month, the US government claimed that Russian disinformation agencies were attempting to interfere in their elections as well. Professor Martin Innes, director of the Security, Crime, and Intelligence Innovation Institute at Cardiff University, explained that these groups aim to achieve their political goals by causing social and cultural disruption. He noted, 'Doppelganger's signature methodology is deploying very large numbers of disposable social media accounts to flood the information space around particular stories. ' This strategy can be particularly effective when they amplify narratives that do not seem overtly political. In this case, they exploited the rumors and conspiracies surrounding the Princess of Wales to further their anti-Ukrainian messaging while simultaneously attacking a key British institution—the Royal Family. Researchers at Cardiff University have been studying the impact of these so-called 'political technologists' in Russia who engage in online interference. They have found that these disinformation specialists have analyzed events like the Brexit referendum in the UK and have been training others in preparation for the upcoming US presidential elections. Their approach focuses on increasing tension around 'wedge issues' such as immigration and identity politics.