A report published by **NewsGuard**, an American company that focuses on identifying false or misleading information online, has found that the amount of fake content pretending to be from trustworthy media sources has risen by 850% in one year. This increase is linked to Russian disinformation efforts, which have targeted several European media outlets. Among the 15 most imitated media in these operations, eight are French, including **Libération**, **BFM TV**, and **France 24**. Russian digital strategies have also aimed at German and other European websites. The report highlights a significant rise in Russian disinformation campaigns designed to destabilize Europe. On September 18, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the nature of Russian aggression has changed and that he condemns "Russian hybrid attacks." These attacks can include cyberattacks, physical sabotage, or disinformation aimed at dividing populations or influencing public debate. **NewsGuard** has noted a dramatic increase in "Russian influence operations" since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. **NewsGuard**, which was founded in 2018, helps internet users determine the reliability of online content. The organization notes that Russia has used falsification and identity theft in foreign influence operations for a long time, dating back to the Soviet era. However, these methods have become more widespread with the rise of social networks and generative artificial intelligence. Since 2022, over 900 fake news reports mimicking established media have appeared online. These campaigns aim to reduce Western support for Ukraine by making their disinformation seem as credible as possible. The report also states that the disinformation strategy has accelerated in the last year. In the first half of 2025, **NewsGuard** detected 44 fake news reports, but by the same period in 2026, that number had risen to 421. Russian disinformation campaigns continue to use techniques like creating fake websites with URLs similar to real ones or content that visually resembles known media. Over 163 media brands have been targeted, including **Euronews**, which is the most targeted, with 82 disinformation reports using its brand between March 2023 and September 2026. In France, fake sites or videos from **Libération** or **Charlie Hebdo** are frequently used, and **BFMTV** ranks fourth on the list of most imitated European media. France is a primary target because of its role in the European Union and NATO, where it is the third-largest contributor to defense spending. The country also faces internal divisions on issues like immigration and support for Ukraine, which Russian disinformation can exploit. Europe is the main target of these attacks because it provides much of the military and financial aid to Ukraine and hosts a large number of Ukrainian refugees, according to the United Nations. The United States is also affected, though less so than Europe. Thirty-nine American media outlets have been targeted, including **CNN**, **USA Today**, and **The Washington Post**. These disinformation campaigns, often run by the Russian government, have names like **Matriochka**, **Storm-1516**, and **Doppelganger**. They use social networks and bots to spread fake articles or videos. Platforms like **X**, formerly **Twitter**, have been widely used, with some disinformation reaching tens of millions of views. In France, the **Storm-1516** operation, led by John Mark Dougan, a former Florida sheriff turned Kremlin propagandist, spread five false narratives using AI from December 2024 to March 2025. These were posted on social media 38,877 times, totaling 55.8 million views. However, Russian disinformation is not limited to individuals; it also uses the **Pravda** network, a group of 280 pro-Kremlin websites. These sites published over 6.3 million articles containing 115 false claims in 2025, aiming to "saturate the information ecosystem." This saturation not only increases the chance that users encounter disinformation but also influences AI models that use internet content to generate responses. For example, a false report supposedly published by **Le Point** claimed that 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been evacuated to France and then joined criminal gangs. Although **Le Point** never published such a report, an AI tool called **Aperçu IA** by Google cited the fake article as verified just three days after it appeared. Last spring, the European External Action Service (SEAE) warned in its fourth report about threats from manipulation and foreign interference. The Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Allas, noted in the report that "today's wars are not only fought with tanks and drones, but also with lies and algorithms." She emphasized that the information space is a critical battleground for democracy, where internet users are increasingly at risk and must be prepared for the challenges ahead.