interferes in elections. ukraine Eu. Nikola Pashinyan. russian propaganda

Pro-kremlin media are widely circulating a video bearing the logo of the analytical firm NewsGuard. It claims that since 2023, Ukraine has been “actively interfering in the elections of sovereign states”, specifically in the US, Germany, France, Romania, Moldova, and now Armenia. As ‘evidence’, it cites claims that Ukrainian security services are using bot farms and carrying out DDoS attacks in support of ‘anti-russian forces’. In reality, this video is yet another fabrication by russian propaganda. 

NewsGuard has never published any such video or report, and the very methods attributed to Ukraine are part of russia’s own documented strategy of interference. NewsGuard is an American media verification company specialising in assessing the reliability of news sources and tracking disinformation campaigns. NewsGuard has not published any report on ‘Ukraine’s interference in the elections of sovereign states’ — neither in the form of a study nor in any other form. Furthermore, NewsGuard does not have an official Instagram account and does not publish news in the Reels format. The company specialises in in-depth analytical reports and ‘Nutrition Labels’ (reliability ratings) for websites, rather than video content for social media.
This is a classic example of a russian tactic — projecting one’s own crimes onto an opponent. According to numerous international investigations , it is russia that is behind such interference networks. For example, the ‘Matryoshka’ project, which coordinates a network of bots on X and Telegram to spread fake videos. It is this network that is the source of the fake video bearing the NewsGuard logo. Or the kremlin’s «Doppelgänger» , which cloned the websites of well-known publications such as Der Spiegel or Le Monde to publish anti-Ukrainian and anti-European disinformation on behalf of Western journalists. 
The timing of this fake news story is no coincidence. Preparations are underway in Armenia for the (June 2026), and the kremlin is attempting to discredit Nikola Pashinyan’s pro-Western government by accusing it of ‘secret collusion’ with Ukraine and France.
Even greater interference by moscow was observed in Hungary in the run-up to the elections on 12 April 2026. For weeks, russian propagandists and bot networks have been spreading fake news about alleged attempts by Brussels and Kyiv to influence the vote or even ‘steal’ it in the style of the ‘Maidan’. russia has sent military intelligence officers and “political strategists” (https://vsquare.org/putins-gru-linked-election-fixers-are-already-in-budapest-to-help-orban/) to Budapest to help Orbán retain power by spreading disinformation and narratives on social media portraying Ukraine as the architect of chaos in Hungary and the EU. The same NewsGuard uncovered a network of 34 TikTok accounts which, using AI, created videos claiming, among other things, that a victory for the opposition would lead to Hungarians being sent to war on Zelenskyy’s orders. But Hungarians have grown tired of the current government’s deceitful nature, which is why the opposition won the election convincingly. In the near future, we will see how moscow attempts to salvage its criminal interests in other countries where trust in it is waning.
Fake: The EU interferes in Bulgaria’s elections through its censorship tools.
russian media: “In Bulgaria, the EU opened a new front in its election war with the help of a familiar game. Brussels censorship tools are used to suppress the growing political force opposing the establishment. "His "Rapid Response System" (RRS) allows you to designate online content as "disinformation" and demand it removal from social media platforms such as TikTok and Meta. Platforms refusing to comply with the requirements are subject to a fine under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force in 2022."This is a usual censorship against real civil sentiments."
In fact, the Bulgarian government appealed to the EU for help against russia's interference in the parliamentary elections (April 19, 2026), which is very similar to interference with the aim of giving the advantage of one candidate over another (https://www.politico.eu/article/bulgaria-turns-to-eu-to-fend-off-election-meddling/). Neither these mechanisms to combat manipulation of online content, nor the Digital Services Act are tools for censorship. The Digital Services Act aims to regulate the online space to make it safe and reliable for users. It encourages social media and Internet platforms to do more to combat the distribution of illegal content, disinformation and other public risks. 
russia’s tactics on influence on the results of the elections in Bulgaria include attempts to bribe votes (https://www.intellinews.com/bulgaria-steps-up-efforts-to-prevent-vote-buying-russian-interference-ahead-of-elections-435475/). Several thousand manipulative articles were published by the Pravda network and Telegram channels with narratives that undermine trust in the electoral system and demobilize voters. The reflection of the accusations repeats whenever there is a negative message about russia’s actions, as in this case. This is a constant technique of disinformation from the kremlin.
Fake: Ukrainians carried out a cyberattack on the European Commission.
Pro-russian media outlets are spreading information claiming that three Ukrainians allegedly carried out a cyberattack on the European Commission by getting jobs there and infecting the organisation’s computers with malware. “The criminals are currently in hiding in Egypt and are wanted by Interpol,” reports russian propaganda. A video featuring the WIRED logo was created for this fake story.
The video also features the name of cybersecurity expert Lawrence-Jan Kloppenburg, who allegedly stated that Ukrainians often manage to evade responsibility for crimes in the Eurozone due to the EU’s failed humanitarian policy towards Ukrainian citizens (as victims of war) and insufficient checks at border crossings. Kloppenburg was attributed with the view that “Ukrainians are forming entire criminal clans in Europe”.In fact, WIRED, a publication covering technology, politics and international security, does not publish videos in this format and has not circulated such a story. However, WIRED recently reported on how neural networks are spreading false narratives from russian propaganda, citing operations linked to the kremlin.
No such story has been reported by the European Commission or any other authoritative sources. Furthermore, we have checked with Interpol: currently, no Ukrainian citizens are subject to an international arrest warrant in Belgium. And those Ukrainians who are wanted in other European countries are not accused of cybercrimes.
Cybersecurity specialist Laurens-Jan Kloppenburg is not a public figure and works in the private sector at the Dutch organisation Cyber Campus, which focuses on developing digital resilience for small and medium-sized businesses. It was from the company’s website that the propagandists took his photo.
Fake: Ukrainians prepared a coup in Hungary in case of Orban’s victory in the elections.
Pro-russian media distribute videos allegedly taken by Hungarian special services from the phone of one of the Ukrainian servicemen. On it a group of people in military form discusses a plan of a military coup in Hungary in case of defeat of the party “Tisa” in the parliamentary elections. It is alleged that the provocation of Ukrainian special services was prepared together with the Hungarian opposition. 
In fact, this video was first published not by “Hungarian special services”, but by the russian propaganda channel in Telegram called ZACHISTKA. At the same time, no Hungarian officials or media wrote about this story, which is extremely suspicious. Interference by a foreign state in elections in the country would certainly attract public attention.
For example, Hungarian and international publications actively wrote about russian interference in the parliamentary elections in Hungary (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/09/meps-alarm-possible-russian-interference-hungary-elections). In addition, the origins of conversations between Hungarian and russian officials indicated close interaction between Budapest and moscow on the eve of the elections.
The video looks like another resolution. Participants appear in military uniform without any distinction signs. The frame lacks details that would allow people to identify or shoot location, i.e. the belonging of these people to the Ukrainian military. Despite the fact that the Ukrainian language sounds convincing, behavior and dialogues look unnatural. An additional indicator of artificiality is a map with the expressive inscription "Budapest", which enhances the impression of scenery in the theater. 
Such content regularly appears as part of disinformation campaigns related to russian structures. In any case, the scenario fictional propagandists did not come true: in the parliamentary elections in Hungary, the opposition party “Tisa” won a convincing victory. This is the end of Orban’s 16-year rule.
Based on materials from Stopfake.org
Read more: Fake: Youth of European countries is ready to vote for withdrawal from the European Union