Russia-linked disinformation floods Poland, Romania as voters cast ballots

Romania and Poland each reported increased Russian disinformation activity ahead of their presidential elections, with authorities warning the Kremlin-backed network Doppelgänger is actively attempting to influence voters.

Romania’s Interior Ministry said on Friday that the group, which has been operating in Europe since at least 2022, launched a new disinformation campaign targeting the second round of the Romanian presidential election held on Sunday. Last year, the country annulled its presidential election results following revelations of Russian interference.

Authorities said Doppelgänger used its typical technique of impersonating the official websites of public institutions, television stations, and press agencies. However, this time their actions were more overt, making them easier to detect, officials added.

The predominant narratives pushed by Russia-linked actors ahead of Sunday’s vote included accusations of crimes committed by the Romanian government against its citizens, unfounded allegations of “massive electoral fraud,” and claims that Sunday’s vote had already been canceled.

“The group has shown a high level of adaptability, syncing messages with key domestic and international events, and utilizing political microtargeting in sponsored campaigns,” Romania's Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Romania previously issued warnings ahead of the first round of the election in May, which was also marked by Russian disinformation campaigns. 

Romania’s pro-European Union presidential candidate Nicușor Dan won the runoff election on Sunday, defeating his far-right rival George Simion.

Read more: France rejects Telegram CEO's accusations of Romanian election interference

In Poland, where citizens went to the polls on Sunday in a first round of voting, authorities have reported discovering paid disinformation campaigns on Facebook, which appear to have been financed from outside the country. Though authorities did not elaborate on the sources, they expressed concern over the scale of the operation.

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has also raised alarms, reporting that Doppelgänger has intensified its influence efforts in Poland in the run-up to the country’s presidential elections. 

According to HUR, Russian intelligence services are disseminating false and manipulative messages, particularly on the social media platform X. The group is utilizing bot farms and fake accounts to impersonate real voters, the agency said.

The narratives promoted by Doppelgänger focus on criticizing Poland’s support for Ukraine, advocating for the country’s withdrawal from the European Union, and discrediting the policies of the current government.

Poland’s cybersecurity officials have previously warned of an "unprecedented" Russian effort to disrupt the nation’s elections through disinformation and hybrid cyberattacks. Poland has also accused Moscow of recruiting Polish citizens to spread disinformation.

In the days leading up to Sunday’s election, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Russian hackers targeted the websites of the ruling Civic Platform party.

Following the election on Sunday, Poland’s pro-EU candidate and a right-wing nationalist are set to compete in the second round of voting in June.