Is Zelensky right to say data centre strikes have taken down Russian bots?
Experts have debunked claims that recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centers significantly reduced Kremlin-linked bot networks. While Yandex services were disrupted, evidence suggests the perceived drop in bot activity was a misinterpretation of technical data.
Why it matters
Understanding the efficacy of cyber-warfare and disinformation campaigns is essential for evaluating the impact of modern geopolitical conflicts.
By Richard Irvine-Brown , Shayan Sardarizadeh and Adam Durbin , BBC Verify Published 33 minutes ago Claims that Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centres reduced Kremlin-linked bot networks have spread widely online, but experts have told BBC Verify there is no evidence the attacks have significantly reduced them.
Viral social media posts have claimed there has been a significant drop in influence operations in recent days, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting on Monday there was "less hate, less division and fewer provocations" online because of "fewer bots".
Russian influence operations, which promote pro-Kremlin narratives and spread disinformation, have been tracked by researchers and journalists including BBC Verify for more than a decade.
These campaigns push disinformation on to people's social media feeds on issues like the Ukraine war or post messages in support of Moscow's interests.
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