Hibrid.info is one of three fact-checking platforms in the Balkans that have been identified as targets of a pro-Russian disinformation campaign known as Operation Matryoshka.
In recent months, hibrid.info has received several emails requesting verification of various content, mainly those related to the war in Ukraine.
All the emails are from Google's email service, called "Gmail," and the references are in English. Even the names used as senders seem to be in English.
The content sent was images with various graffiti, mainly related to Ukraine, and the authors of these emails are requesting verification of the content sent, which they assume they found on the internet.
Hibrid.info, of all the emails received, has verified 8 of them through the email verification platform, "cleantalk.org", two of which have turned out to be fake. (here, here)
Matryoshka, discovered in January 2024, cleverly uses compromised accounts on X (formerly Twitter) to propagate deceptive narratives, engaging journalists on X with pro-Russian perspectives and undermining Ukraine, thereby confusing public discourse and spreading disinformation.
The report also confirms the inclusion of hibrid.info among the targets of this Russian propaganda campaign. “Matryoshka: a pro-Russian campaign targeting the media and the fact-checking community,” by the French government service Viginum (June 2024). This report identified more than 500 targets worldwide, including media outlets, personalities, institutions and fact-checking platforms, who were targeted by this campaign.
In addition to hibrid.info, this report also mentions Istinomjer (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Vistinomer (North Macedonia), two other fact-checking platforms from the Balkans, which have been identified as targets of the disinformation campaign, Matryoshka. (here)
Screenshot from the Viginum report