How Russia is impersonating French news outlets in a bid to influence France’s next presidential election

Russian disinformation networks are launching campaigns to interfere in France's April twenty twenty-seven presidential election. According to Meduza, these operations target candidates who have supported Ukraine or criticized Russia—including former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who saw false health claims circulate on social media, and center-left politician Raphaël Glucksmann, who was hit with fake articles impersonating French outlets. A third candidate, Gabriel Attal from Emmanuel Macron's party, was targeted with eight fabricated videos designed to look like content from major French news outlets, spreading false claims about drug addiction, Parkinson's disease, and unrelated family matters. The disinformation operations, linked to Russian military intelligence, often weave fabrications around real facts—mixing documented historical events with entirely invented claims—to create an atmosphere of suspicion before voters have even formally chosen their candidates.

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