The information war: How Russia’s DoppelGänger campaign is targeting your social media feed

The battlefield has shifted, and now it’s online. According to the U.S. Cyber Command out of Fort Meade, Maryland and the European Union’s Disinformation Lab (EU DisinfoLab), a Russian disinformation campaign known as DoppelGänger is actively spreading falsehoods through fake news sites, AI-generated content, and social media manipulation.

A sophisticated influence campaign

Operating since at least May 2022, DoppelGänger is run by the Russian Social Design Agency and Structura National Technologies. The campaign infiltrates Europe’s media landscape by cloning legitimate news outlets, creating misleading content, and deploying social media bots to spread pro-Russian narratives.

DoppelGänger has impersonated major international news organizations, including The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Bild, 20minutes, The Washington Post, and Fox News. The campaign has also created fake websites mimicking NATO, the Polish and Ukrainian governments, the German police, and the French Foreign Ministry to spread false press releases and propaganda.

How DoppelGänger manipulates public perception

The campaign uses generative AI to craft fake articles, videos, and polls, making misinformation harder to detect. It also purchases domain names that closely resemble legitimate media outlets to lure unsuspecting readers. Some examples include:

• nato[.]ws – A fake NATO website that published false press releases claiming NATO had doubled its military budget and was deploying Ukrainian paramilitary forces to France.
• RRN[.]media – A pro-Russian website formerly registered as russianews[.]com, which falsely portrayed Western sanctions as ineffective and pushed anti-Ukrainian refugee narratives.

Disinformation across social media

DoppelGänger’s influence doesn’t stop at fake news websites. Social media bots amplify the campaign, pushing manipulated content across Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. Russian actors have likely paid for sponsored posts to boost these sites’ visibility, making them harder for social media platforms to moderate.

The core themes of DoppelGänger’s propaganda include:

• Depicting Ukraine as a corrupt, Nazi-run failed state
• Denying Russian war crimes, including the Bucha massacre
• Spreading fear across Europe, warning that sanctions against Russia will destroy Western economies

How to spot and stop disinformation

These tactics aren’t new—veterans understand the importance of verifying intel before acting. Here’s how to stay sharp online:

• Verify before you share – Cross-check news with multiple trusted sources.
• Check for fake domains – If a news link seems suspicious, look closely at the URL.
• Watch for bots – Accounts posting 24/7, using repetitive messaging, or lacking real profile details may not be real.
• Be skeptical of emotional headlines – Disinformation is designed to provoke anger or fear. If a headline seems extreme, dig deeper.

DoppelGänger is a coordinated effort to distort facts, sow division, and weaken support for Ukraine and NATO. Russia may be thousands of miles away, but social media gives them a direct line to American audiences. Stay informed, question suspicious content, and don’t let unfriendlies control the narrative.