In a June 2024 report, the French governmental agency Viginum, which is tasked with monitoring foreign information manipulation attempts, exposed “Matriochka”, a Russian disinformation campaign active since September 2023. The campaign aimed at discrediting governments, public officials, media and fact-checking agencies in more than 60 countries, France being a “prime target”. Propagated narratives criticized French support for Ukraine, specific French political figures, and the 2024 Paris Olympics. The campaign posted deepfake content, reports and images on online platforms, primarily on X, in the comment section of public figures, media outlets and fact-checking sites. Matrioshka operators then asked those influential accounts to investigate their false claims. Most content was traced back to Russian-language Telegram channels. Viginum assessed that “the criteria for foreign digital interference have been satisfied”.