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Austrian intelligence has uncovered a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at spreading fake news about Ukraine and has launched an investigation into a Bulgarian citizen suspected of espionage.
According to the Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence (DSN), evidence of a "large-scale Russian disinformation campaign in the country" has been found, as confirmed today by the government in Vienna and reported by the Financial Times.
The investigations reconstructed the modus operandi of a cell in the service of Russian intelligence, activated a few weeks after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The goal was to orchestrate a broad disinformation campaign in German-speaking countries, with a particular focus on Austria.
“The spread of narratives, fake news and manipulative content undermines trust in our institutions and threatens social cohesion,” said Undersecretary Joerg Leichtfried. The DSN learned of the operation after seizing data storage devices in a raid on the Bulgarian woman’s home in December.
The suspect admitted to collaborating with the cell, which posed as a pro-Ukrainian group but in reality tried to turn public opinion against President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The network operated both online and offline, and the woman reportedly documented its activities, passing the material on to associates in Russia and the United Kingdom. According to the Austrian government, Russian intelligence services may have tasked her with distributing this content in Germany and Austria as well.
"In light of the global situation and threats to our freedom, the DSN's defensive capabilities must be strengthened," Leichtfried added.
The investigation comes against a politically sensitive backdrop for Austria. Last month, centrist parties formed a new coalition government after a period of political uncertainty. The deal averted the risk of a far-right-led government, after the Freedom Party (FPO), known for its pro-Russian stance, won almost 29% of the vote in the last parliamentary election.
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