Leaked Files from Putin’s Troll Factory: How Russia Manipulated European Elections

Martin Laine (Delfi Estonia),
Anastasiia Morozova (VSquare, FRONTSTORY.PL) 2024-09-16

Investigations Our Investigations

Leaked internal documents from a Kremlin-controlled propaganda center reveal how a well-coordinated Russian campaign supported far-right parties in the European Parliament elections — and planted disinformation across social media platforms to undermine Ukraine.

In a video resembling a movie trailer, the head of Russia’s secret propaganda project, Ilya Gambashidze, removes his sunglasses and sits behind a computer, wearing a camouflage-patterned hoodie with the words “Russian Ideological Troops” spelled out on his sleeve. Text flashes on the screen: “Narrative production, content creation, 300 media outlets, 20 think tanks…” The video, part of a leak from Russia’s IT organization Social Design Agency (SDA), appears to be aimed at partners interested in their information operations services.

“Gambashidze is responsible for numerous projects in various countries,” a source connected to EU intelligence told us. The organization and Gambashidze are already sanctioned both in the EU and the U.S.

Amid the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine, the Russian presidential administration has emerged as a key client of SDA.  Recently, the U.S Department of Justice and FBI revealed that Russian officials, including Sergei Kiriyenko, the Russian presidential administration’s chief of staff and often referred to as Vladimir Putin’s right-hand man, have attended several project meetings with Gambashidze. (We exposed his role in supervising influence operations in our previous investigative series, #KremlinLeaks). Sofia Zakharova, another staffer in Putin’s administration, is also a frequent participant in these meetings.

“Between April 2022 and April 2023, Gambashidze took notes related to at least 20 Russian Presidential Administration meetings,” the U.S. affidavit claims, citing several documents that are now also available to VSquare.

The leaked documents, comprising thousands of files from SDA servers, were obtained by Delfi Estonia, Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR and WDR, who shared the data with international partners: De Standaard, NRC, Schemes, Shomrim, DR, Profil, Dossier Center, FRONTSTORY.PL and VSquare. The latest FBI files on Russian influence operations correspond with the data from the leak, and refers to the SDA as “a public relations company, specializing in election campaigns, with deep ties to the Russian government.”

The leak reveals how the SDA operates as a center for psychological warfare. Its “army” consists not of soldiers, but of meme creators and internet trolls. According to internal records, the agency employs “ideologists”, eight “commentators,” and a “bot farm operator.”

The scale of disinformation production is astonishing. A leaked report claims that in the first four months of 2024, the SDA’s bot army, dubbed the “Russian Digital Army,” generated 33.9 million comments. They also claim to have produced 39,899 “content units” on social media, including 4,641 videos and 2,516 memes and graphics.

Clear quotas are set. For example, in one project targeting Germany and France, the quotas were as follows: “Cartoons – 60 units. Memes – 180 units. Article comments – 400.”

There are hundreds of examples of memes in the leaked documents, some of which were created by cartoonists employed by the SDA.

In internal discussions, those involved do not shy away from admitting that they are producing fake news and disinformation. Elections in Europe and the U.S. are the primary targets.

“The European Parliament elections are in the summer of 2024. Critical milestones are approaching in 2024, including the Bundestag elections and the U.S. presidential election. The outcome of these campaigns will largely determine the West’s future sanctions policy towards Russia and support for Ukraine,” reads one document outlining the focus of these information operations.

The Russians remain optimistic about shifting Western public opinion on Ukraine.

“Public opinion in the project’s target countries is gradually moving towards reducing or completely stopping support for Ukraine,” a document reads.

The leaked files include detailed reports on the thousands of fake comments made in various countries, along with instructions on how to craft such comments.

“Write a comment from a 38-year-old German woman, who believes Germany is losing its main source of income: industry and a strong economy – we must stop wasting money on Ukraine and return to cheap Russian energy!.” one document offered as instruction.

Similar instructions were written for “commenters” aiming at a U.S audience: “Write a 400-character comment from a 38-year-old American woman, who believes military aid to Ukraine and Israel should be cut. Zelensky is wasting taxpayers’ money!”

A similar narrative was crafted to target Poland’s online space: “Write a 400-character comment from a 38-year-old Polish woman, who believes the government is to blame for the country’s rise in food prices. Poland is flirting with Ukraine, it has allowed a million Ukrainian migrants to settle in Poland taking jobs and receiving benefits, it can’t even solve the Ukrainian grain issue to protect its farmers! As a result, ordinary citizens who love this country and pay taxes suffer. This is not good for anything!”

The “Ukrainian grain issue” mentioned in the comment was heavily amplified by the Russian propaganda machine before the EU elections, presumably to sow division between Poland and Ukraine and undermine solidarity with Ukraine.

Undermining the European Parliament

One goal of Russia’s influence operations, according to the leaked records, is to bolster far-right parties in Western Europe, in the hope that these parties will oppose aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.

According to the documents, Russian operatives thought that the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) parliamentary group’s success in the European Parliament would benefit Russia. (ID was dissolved after the European elections.)

“Proposal: conduct a comprehensive counter-campaign against liberal globalists, their platform and prominent representatives before the elections to the EP in the countries with the largest representation in this electoral body – Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland,” states a project document preparing for elections. It also notes that over half of European Parliament seats belong to these countries, making them key targets.

The document outlines four key narratives to promote. For example: “Liberals and globalists spread fear and want us to panic. We must fear war, climate disasters, viruses, a Russian attack. Through fear, they seek our submission. Additionally, they aim to exploit contradictions around family values, LGBT rights, and the economic uncertainty caused by the war in energy and agriculture.”

The toolkit to achieve these goals includes: [working] in comment sections; memes, videos, cartoons; threads on social media; fakes, street art.

Several documents confirm that the SDA was particularly active in Germany, supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

“Our opinion leader became the deputy leader of the AfD faction!” reads one Russian meeting memo, though it doesn’t specify who is being referenced.

The Russians also note that AfD’s 2024 election program can be seen as a key Russian strategic narrative: “It is worth noting that AfD’s program for the 2024 elections states that the cause of the Ukraine conflict is ‘the dominance of non-European powers.’ These powers are blamed for ‘dragging European countries into conflict,’” describes a project document.

Another document reveals that the project’s success is gauged by the popularity of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. According to a document listing “key performance indicators,” the project could be considered a success if the AfD were to poll at 20 percent. Other public polls are also used to measure successes in target countries. “Growth of the number of Germans unwilling to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of victory – 55 percent,” says one document.

Talking points are proposed to achieve those aims. For example: “The U.S is waging an economic and hybrid war against Russia at the expense of Germany. Anti-Russian decisions by NATO and the EU harm Germans first and foremost.”

Metrics for success are similar in France: The National Rally (previously known as National Front) should be polling at 20 percent and “the number of French people who do not want to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of victory over Russia/for the sake of Ukraine should exceed 44 percent.”

After the European elections, the SDA evaluated its success. In this post-election analysis, it took notice of the increase in right-wing representatives in the European Parliament.

“Thus, we can state a serious success of the campaign in social networks,” they concluded.

However, the same document warns that the success of the far-right in the European Parliament does not necessarily translate into success for Russia. As a cautionary example, it cites Giorgia Meloni’s “hawkish” stance (she has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine) and notes that Marine Le Pen’s support is also not without complications as Le Pen publicly applauded Zelensky during his visit to Paris, which did not go unnoticed by the Russians.

“Overall, though, the general success of the far-right in the European Parliament elections is perceived globally as a success for Russian foreign policy and, moreover, for Russian propaganda,” the document states.

Planting fakes for useful idiots

The SDA isn’t only generating comments for non-existent 38-year-old women in Germany and America. Its employees also fabricate Ukrainian documents and official quotes to be disseminated through the media. For instance, SDA created forged documents and quotes related to the crash of an Il-76 plane in Belgorod in January 2024. Russian propaganda claimed at the time that this plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and blamed Ukraine for shooting it down. These “fakes,” as the SDA itself calls them, were created to persuade the public that Ukraine was hiding that fact. A document titled “Register of Fakes and Doppelgangers” details 73 instances where the SDA created disinformation for distribution.

“Our new team fabricated a story about child abductions. The Americans seriously published it. That’s a success!” boasted Sofia Zakharova, who is associated with the Russian presidential administration. This comes from an SDA meeting protocol from September 2023.

A few weeks before this meeting, information began circulating on Telegram channels about Ukrainian children whose organs were being sold on the dark web. Some of the reports weaving their way through social media blamed the “Kiev regime” orchestrating child evacuations. This claim was meant to mirror the allegations made by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Russian child deportation program in Ukraine, Maria Lvova-Belova.

Soon, this disinformation narrative was even spread by some U.S. politicians, such as Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congresswoman from the state of Georgia.

The SDA team also highlights Greene in a U.S.-focused document, explaining how their information operations are picked up by influential figures in the U.S. The document includes a link to an article from Breitbart, a far-right U.S. news outlet, in which Greene indicates that weapons supplied by the United States to Ukraine have reached Hamas.

The same document indicates that reducing U.S. support for Ukraine can be achieved by contrasting it with the American economic situation.

“The question ‘where is our money going?’ should be the most frequent in the comments section,” the document says.

“The Other Ukraine”

One notable project has a code-name “The Other Ukraine” and is aimed at Ukrainians in the Western Europe, Russia and Ukraine itself.

“Another Ukraine” has been associated with exiled Ukrainian oligarch and close friend of Putin, Viktor Medvedchuk, in media reports before. Leaked documentation now suggests that the project is aided and orchestrated also by SDA.

Medvedchuk’s association can also be seen in the documents, according to which the project aims to “position Viktor Medvedchuk as a consistent fighter for a peaceful future for Ukraine.”

“There is an alternative to war. Medvedchuk talks about peaceful dialogue as an alternative to a possible nuclear war,” the document says.

The project proposes to use Ukrainian language for propaganda purposes.

“A full-fledged information agency aimed at Ukrainians and operating within the framework of the ideology of the ‘Other Ukraine’ must appear in the information space,” a project document indicates. “This source should ensure the loyalty of the ‘new Russian Ukrainians’ to the President of Russia and active support for his policies.”

A comprehensive table with a detailed media plan follows: it says what  texts, videos, infographics and photos should be produced and released and how often. For example, the instructions call for “comments in support and defense of and the quota is set to 300 comments per day.

According to Ukrainian prosecutors, as well as European security agencies, Medvedchuk is also associated with the Voice Of Europe scandal: MEPs were paid to disseminate Russian propaganda; several participated in activities organized by pro-Russian media outlet Voice of Europe, which was used to funnel the money. After the network’s associates in the Czech Republic and Poland (where authorities seized €48,500 and $36,000) were arrested, the outlet and connected businessmen were sanctioned by the EU. Later, Belgian police raided the EU Parliament office and private home of an assistant to an MEP who worked for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and received Russian money through the Voice of Europe network.

An EU intelligence source claims both projects were actually prepared in the Kremlin.

“The Other Ukraine and Voice of Europe were developed in early 2023, in Russia’s Presidential Administration, in the office of Sergey Kiriyenko,” the source says.

Info ops center in Kaliningrad

In a document titled “Information operations project office Baltics,” the SDA considers the creation of a center in Kaliningrad, which would focus on the Baltic states, Poland and Germany.

“Thanks to its geographical location and historical cultural ties with Europe, Kaliningrad Oblast is the most convenient springboard for organizing and conducting information operations in EU countries,” the document states.

The project names the following objectives: spreading Russian narratives; influencing political and economic decisions; influencing electoral processes; forming groups and networks of supporters; promoting the interests of Russian business; and creating a system for the promotion of the Russian agenda in the media and social networks.

The documents outline the new institution’s structure, including units such as an analytical monitoring center and content center; IT and IS division; legal expertise center; and translation bureau.

Several documents mention Poland, one of the main targets for the SDA’s manipulative efforts. Among them is a note on the likely results of the MEP elections. The memo proposes a “counter-campaign” against the “liberal globalists.”

The SDA also monitors the Polish media space and searches for divisive statements. One such report quotes Krzysztof Bosak, deputy speaker of the Sejm and leader of the far-right Confederation, whose statements on Israel triggered a public clash with theIsraeli ambassador to Poland.

Rest of the world in sight

The examples above are still only a fraction of the SDA’s operations. There are numerous campaigns with different aims in different countries. The DOJ affidavit mentions four different projects aimed at the U.S alone.

A campaign separate from “The Other Ukraine” suggests dividing Ukraine into 20 regions and preparing information operations for each region. “50,000 comments in 20 regions of Ukraine per month,” the document says.

Israel is another target.

“Currently, the situation in the State of Israel seems very favorable for starting a serious project to influence public opinion. The goal of such influence should be to tear Israel out of the general Western anti-Russian agenda,” a project document titled “Normal Israel” says. Again, quotas for comments, texts and memes are provided.

“SDA records also revealed its planning of campaigns targeting foreign countries, including Mexico and Israel, with the intent that those efforts would influence associated ethnic or religious groups residing in the United States,” the DOJ affidavit says.

Separate objectives are set for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The need to “neutralize external pressure on the political leadership of these countries by mobilizing the public to support initiatives that run counter to the interests of the United States and its allies” is mentioned in a document in regard to Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. “Such mobilization must be carried out through information impact on national audiences,” the document reads.

Gambashidze, The Russian presidential administration and Medvedchuk didn’t provide answers to our questions.

Marta Vunš (Delfi Estonia) contributed to reporting.

Anastasiia Morozova

A Warsaw-based investigative and data journalist at VSquare and Frontstory.pl, Anastasiia Morozova previously collaborated with leading media outlets in Ukraine (Radio Free Europe, Slidstvo.info). She was shortlisted for the Grand Press Award (2022) and was a recipient of the Novinarska Cena 2022.