"Ukraine Shutters Major Russian Bot Farm"

The Secret Service of Ukraine (SSU) claims to have dismantled a large bot farm used by Russian special services to spread disinformation and propaganda in the country.  The SSU stated that the million-strong bot farm was used to "spin destabilizing content" on the country's military and political leadership to an audience of over 400,000.  This included fake news on the situation at the front, an alleged conflict between the President's Office and the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, and a campaign to discredit the first lady.  It was noted that a Russian citizen and "political expert" based in Kyiv was unmasked as the operation's leader.  With his help, the group automated the management of a large number of bot accounts on social media, using equipment based in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Vinnytsia.  The SSU stated that this kit included 5000 SIM cards used to register new accounts and 200 proxy servers designed to spoof IP addresses and circumvent internet blocks.  Ukraine has claimed to have "neutralized" 1200 cyber incidents and cyberattacks on government and strategic critical infrastructure since the start of the war.

Infosecurity reports: "Ukraine Shutters Major Russian Bot Farm"