Name: Russian network accused of impersonating French media outlets
Uploaded: 2025-12-04T09:52:20.755Z
Duration: 1 min 59 s
Description: According to researchers, this web of sham outlets is likely being run by a known Russian propagandist John Mark Dougan, a former deputy sheriff from Florida who has lived in Moscow since 2016.

According to researchers, this web of sham outlets is likely being run by a known Russian propagandist John Mark Dougan, a former deputy sheriff from Florida who has lived in Moscow since 2016.

Paris

A network of at least 200 fake news websites, attributed to Russia's Storm 1516 operation, has been identified by researchers between January and September 2025. Many of these sites impersonate French media outlets and use AI-generated articles to spread anti-Western narratives and disinformation, particularly ahead of major elections in Europe.

Reporters Without Borders found that 85 of these sites remain active, publishing over 14,000 articles since February, with activity increasing as the year ends. The organization warns that these efforts pose risks to the integrity of information and public trust, especially with France's municipal elections scheduled for 2026.

Russian network accused of impersonating French media outlets

Why are more and more fake local news outlets appearing online? A corps of online outlets which look like local media are fooling internet users, posting articles of concerning headlines as well as spreading anti-Western narratives. While these websites are created by pro-Russian actors, their names are similar to those of authentic news outlets and real news events are being spun through AI-scripted articles. Between January and September 2025, researchers from Recorded Future identified at least 200 new fictional media websites, which they attribute to Russia's Storm 1516 operation. Researchers warn that these sham outlets are likely being run by a man called John Mark Dugan, a former deputy sheriff from Florida who has lived in Moscow since 2016. Dugan was singled out as a key driver of disinformation ahead of Germany's federal elections in February. More than 140 of these sham news websites present themselves as French outlets. Media freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders looked at 85 of these sites which are still active and discovered 14,000 articles have been published since February. These websites' output has intensified as the year reaches its end, with more than 5,000 articles published since late October. Ahead of France's municipal elections set to be held in 2026, Reporters Without Borders has warned of the need to monitor the situation. When we want to disinform, ideally, what we try to achieve is an intermediary in which the public can have confidence and the press, and particularly the regional press in France, has the confidence of the public. We know that the elections are a fertile ground for informational attacks. From there, we set off the alarm bell to say, there is an active network and there are real risks for access to information, the integrity of information and therefore, ultimately, for the sincerity of the script. For media observers, it's key that outlets flag false stories and report them.

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