Russia spoofs French media and government websites
On June 13, 2023, France accused Russia of carrying out a long-running disinformation campaign that leveraged websites impersonating French media and government agencies. The French outlets Le Monde and Le Figaro had their websites spoofed. The French Foreign Ministry also had its website impersonated and used to spread false information. In particular, VIGINUM, the French agency responsible for fighting online interference, said the fake websites were designed to sow confusion about Paris’s support for Ukraine. VIGINUM identified more than 350 fake domains targeting countries around Europe. The French agency assessed that the network of false websites was connected to a sprawling Russian disinformation campaign that Meta identified in 2022 but which continues to push false content.