Over the past year, there has been a marked rise in pro-Russian content proliferating on platforms such as Substack and personal blogs, predominantly authored by figures within the UK and Europe.
This surge is characterised not only by the volume and frequency of posts but also by the striking uniformity of their talking points. An in-depth analysis reveals that the narratives, which frequently align closely with Kremlin messaging, have become increasingly pervasive and are often disseminated under the guise of independent analysis or commentary.
A closer examination reveals a pattern that is too consistent to ignore. Multiple blogs, ostensibly independent from one another, are publishing content on an almost daily basis, often repeating near-identical narratives. The focus is usually on blaming NATO for the Ukraine conflict, accusing Ukraine’s leadership of extremism, or portraying the EU as self-destructive. These themes are repeated across platforms, suggesting that these writers are either being fed similar talking points or are consciously replicating Kremlin narratives.
The frequency of posts is another key indicator of coordination or artificial amplification. Producing well-structured, lengthy articles on a daily or near-daily basis would be a challenge for most solo writers. Yet these bloggers manage to maintain this output while following a consistent narrative arc. This is where suspicions arise: the writing itself often shows signs of being AI-generated. The consistent tone, repetitive phrasing, and sometimes awkward syntax are tell-tale signs that language models like ChatGPT are being used to mass-produce content.
The emergence of AI-generated content raises red flags. The sheer volume and the almost formulaic structure of these posts suggest that automated assistance is not just a tool but an integral part of the strategy. This allows these blogs to maintain a relentless pace of publication, pushing the same themes in a seemingly organic way. The result is an overwhelming presence online, creating the illusion of a broad, grassroots movement pushing pro-Russian narratives.
A particularly striking pattern is the choice, for some, to switch to Russian when addressing certain topics. While most content is in English, key articles, especially those framing Ukraine as a Nazi state or directly challenging Western military suppor, appear in Russian. This linguistic shift is not random. It serves to reach both domestic and diaspora Russian-speaking audiences, lending an air of authenticity to the narrative. It also aligns these bloggers more directly with the Kremlin’s domestic propaganda goals.
The big question remains: are these bloggers gullible individuals who truly believe they are offering independent perspectives, or are they knowingly amplifying state-sponsored disinformation?
The uniformity of messaging and frequency of output lean towards the latter. Whether consciously complicit or not, these writers are functioning as force multipliers for disinformation campaigns. By framing their output as independent analysis, they mask the apparent coordination and create an illusion of widespread dissent against Western policies.
The ultimate effect of these coordinated blogging efforts is a distorted information landscape. By flooding the internet with repetitive narratives, they shape perceptions among readers who may not be aware of the origins or motivations behind the content. This technique of saturation is particularly effective because it mirrors grassroots opposition, giving Kremlin narratives a veneer of legitimacy.
This new wave of pro-Russian blogs is not a spontaneous movement. The consistent themes, high output frequency, AI-generated text, and strategic language switching all point to a coordinated effort. Whether motivated by ideology, financial incentives, or direct influence from pro-Kremlin networks, these bloggers are contributing to a broader strategy of information warfare.
Hmmm, is this the new version of phoning it in? Writing genuine content on a frequent basis is not easy, it’s one of the reasons most of us aren’t authors. With AI ‘assistance’ a lot of that burden is lifted but it sounds as though the posters are falling down on their duty of care to actually fact check the work they are producing.
Well either that or as Craig has surmised they actually have a specific bias. I kind of find it amusing that ChatGPT might be a Kremlin troll though.
Much like many or most of the inventions over the ages promoted as beneficial AI has a downside.
Stand back every one – the fake news bollocks is back in the media as they try to control the peace talk narrative,
Like all the anti Trump mince Biden’s mob posted, in a couple of years time we’ll all know it’s a load of old rubbish.
Yup, Trump has turned out far worse than what Biden’s supporters predicted…
OT, read a report today about us forming a “Dad’s Army” Home Guard to defend airports, telecommunications and power hubs.
One wonders what the MoD will have to arm them with. Sticks and stones?
Sounds like they need to reactive the Home Service Force from the 1980’s. It was a local defence arm of the TA dedicated to guarding key infrastructure nodes.
Traditionally UK based units, regular and TA, were due to do such duties, unless in the process of being moved forward.
During my period in the TA (86 to 93), there was talk of splitting it into a two tier force. One half would have an increased training commitment of the type traditionally associated with Para and RM support rolled units. The other half would have a slightly reduced training commitment and become the ‘Home Defense Force’ and do what they are now calling a ‘Dads Army’ role.
This was all fueled by doubts over the level of competence of some TA units, and the growing threat of Spetsnaz units and saboteurs. With the current situation were the far right is a Russian fifth column and the left wing half of the Labour Party is rife with Islamists and their sympathizers, I think the need for such has grown..
The interesting thing is the summary. Blame NATO, Ukraine is extremist, EU bad. This has been the Farage line for three years now, punctuated by token condemnations of Russia when pressed.
It really does highlight how the whole Reform movement, like the Leave campaign it grew from, is/was just a Russian plot to destabilize the west for more Russian attacks. I see the MAGA crowd as another front in the same moral war on the West.
Total cobblers.
I agreee and Reform \ MAGA have been very active spewing their rhetoric out
And a lot of it is very anti-Ukraine
Spreading fake news and sucking up to russians
This report from our new contributor Craig is the best piece of writing that he’s produced yet.
In the Russian context, the term disinformation “dezinformatsiya” is often used to embrace a number of other concepts: ‘strategic deception’ “strategicheskaya maskirovka” ‘active measures’ “aktivnye meropriyatiya”, information operations, psychological operations, concealment and deniability.
The common factor is the use of various information tools – with some analysts referring to it as the ‘information weapon’ – to convey selective, incomplete, and/or distorted messages – and influence the thinking of an adversary
As a NAFO fella, every day I’m constantly fighting against these Russians, Chinese, and African FAKE AI-generated content and FAKE human profiles and blogs !
They pose as fundraisers, stealing £££, and they infiltrate and spread disinformation…
Luckily, we have the VU aka Verification Unit, and we have the ScamBustersHQ to help weed them out!