Security in Europe

Alarm: Russian disinformation ahead of French presidential election

French authorities have been able to establish that the Russian security service GRU has been behind several disinformation campaigns against politicians in the country ahead of the upcoming presidential election, several media outlets report.

This includes incorrect information regarding the health of conservative candidate Edouard Philippe and fabricated audio clips with socialist EU parliamentarian Raphael Glucksmann, according to the French public service company RFI. The disinformation campaigns are said to have taken place around the turn of July and August.

The information does not surprise Frederick Fooy, an expert on Russian and Chinese information influence at the Psychological Defense Agency (MPF).

– France is a large and important EU and NATO country that has supported Ukraine for a long time. It is of course a red flag for Russia, he tells TT.

Newly built bases – then Russia can reach NATO countries

Russia has secretly built ten new bases for long-range drones that can be used for attacks on NATO countries. This is shown by leaked documents and satellite images that The Telegraph has seen.

The newspaper has seen images showing a total of 59 launch pads along the borders with Ukraine and Belarus. Several of the bases are already being used for attacks on Ukraine and the range of the drones means that they could also reach, among other places, the Polish capital Warsaw.

At least one of the bases can store up to 1,000 drones and judging by the images, new launch pads are being built at several facilities.