The Ukrainian Cyber Police (SSU) recently shut down one of several massive Pro-Russian operated bot farms within the country. Stating the obvious, the farm was set up to spread disinformation, propaganda, and fake news about the ongoing war.
According to the SSU and more specifically, the bot farm was created by Pro-Russian supporters to “discredit Ukraine’s leadership”, as well as to destabilise its social and political situation. As to the farm’s whereabouts, it was discovered to have been operating in secret within the capital of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Vinnytsia.
In total, the bot farm ran over a million bot accounts and several groups within popular social media platform, and reportedly even had 400000 followers listening in on them. For that matter, the SSU also confiscated over 5000 SIM cards that were used to create and maintain numerous fake accounts, along with at least 200 proxy servers. Used to spoof IP addresses, in order to dodge the Ukrainian firewalls.
The adversary tries to use any opportunity to fuel internal strife or manipulate public opinion. Unfortunately, consciously or unconsciously, some Ukrainian political forces play along with the enemy and put their own ambitions above state interests. However, we are countering destructive activities and an exposure of such a massive bot farm is yet another proof of this,’ Vasyl Malyuk, Acting SSU Head, stated.
Russia launched an invasion into Ukraine on 24 February 2022, and the war is already entering its sixth month. Russia has justified its invasion and attack by calling it a “special operations” initiative. Initially, it had expected to take hold of the capital city within a just few days of its invasion but to both it and the world’s surprise, the Ukrainians – along with support from foreign fighters – have been putting up some very fierce resistance.
To date, the SSU says that it has neutralised more than 100000 Pro-Russian social media accounts, over 1200 cyber incidents and cyberattacks on strategic and critical infrastructure, blocked more than 500 pro-Russian YouTube channels, and over 1500 Telegram channels and bots. Among other things
(Source: SSU via Techspot)
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