Russian Federation conducted operation to disinform population in Poland

Russia launched a large-scale disinformation campaign around floods in Poland to destabilize Polish society.

The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces reported on this.

The command of the Polish Armed Forces reported that Russia had used a network of bots in social networks, which had been in creation over many years and had spread anti-vaccination statements during the coronavirus pandemic, and later anti-Ukrainian calls, to create panic among citizens.

The Russian Special services created this network to influence people, in particular, during crisis situations. At their request, the network of bots published messages on a given topic, spreading the necessary moods and ideas.

Spreading panic during a flood

Amid abnormal floods that began on September 16 as a result of the powerful cyclone Boris, Internet traffic from Russia and Belarus increased by 300%.

According to the military, the traffic came from accounts and IP addresses that were used in disinformation operations at the beginning of Russia’s attack on Ukraine to spread anti-Ukrainian sentiment among the Polish population.

“This pattern proves over and over again that the planned information war continues,” the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces noted.

The bots published conspiratorial posts and messages to spread panic, fear, and distrust, which were intended to create chaos and problems for Polish services and the government.

In addition to online publications, unidentified individuals also became active in the flooded area, spreading information among locals about the allegedly planned dam blowing up.

The Polish Internal Security Agency ABW tracked down one of the disinformers, who was driving a car with fake license plates under the guise of a soldier in uniform. He was arrested for 3 months.

“This is no longer a game, it’s not amateurish, it’s a serious problem,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting of the crisis headquarters in Wrocław.

In addition, Poland’s Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime detained two Polish citizens, aged 25 and 28, who created a network of bots that spread slogans: “A little girl fell into a raging river. It’s a disaster. They are dying, no one is helping them. They will blow up the dams, the government has a plan.”

The group purchased computers and a significant number of local SIM cards for its activities.