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EU assessment says Russian network exploited French riot coverage
Reuters reports an internal EU document found a covert Russian network used social media during last month's French riots, while a French ministry paper also cited Israeli- and MAGA-linked posts.
Based on reporting by Japan Today
Wire reporting: (Reuters, via Japan Today)
Reuters, citing a restricted internal European Union assessment it said it had seen, reported Monday that a covert Russian network known as Operation Overload used social media during last month's riots in France to blame unrest on immigration and to portray French authorities as having lost control1.
A separate French foreign ministry assessment, also described by Reuters, said accounts linked to Israel and to the U.S. MAGA movement pushed narratives tying the riots to radical Islamism and migration1. Reuters said it could not independently verify either document's assertions1.
The EU paper covered Oct. 7-21 and, according to Reuters, found no evidence that Moscow or other outside actors started or escalated the protests, calling the activity opportunistic exploitation of unrest1. Reuters said the Russian foreign ministry did not comment; French officials pointed to President Emmanuel Macron's Oct. 21 remarks that foreign information manipulation occurred without visible foreign interference behind the protests1. Offices of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's foreign ministry did not respond, Reuters said1.
The French ministry figures cited by Reuters put the 10 most-viewed X posts from pro-Russian spheres at 2.8 million views on Oct. 16-18, versus more than 49 million for MAGA-linked accounts and more than 35 million for Israeli officials, government accounts, media and influencers1. Context: France's Viginum watchdog and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue have previously described Operation Overload as a high-volume impersonation campaign active since 20231.