Matryoshka network launches disinformation campaign ahead of Spanish elections

New information operation ahead of Spanish elections

The Russian network of fabricated accounts, known as "Matryoshka", has initiated an information campaign coinciding with the period leading up to the parliamentary elections in Spain. Voting is scheduled for 29 November 2026. The main objective of this operation is to undermine citizens' trust in democratic processes, amplify narratives regarding economic problems in Europe, and discredit efforts to support Ukraine.

Mechanics of disinformation dissemination

Materials disseminated by the bots claim that providing aid to Kyiv and implementing sanctions against Russia are causing economic decline in European states. The campaign's authors attempt to convince the audience that the voting results are unable to change this situation. The social and economic difficulties faced by Spain and other EU countries are linked to their foreign policy stance towards Moscow and Kyiv.

To give their publications the appearance of credible news, the organisers use fabricated video segments and texts styled after materials from leading international media outlets. Specifically, they imitate content from Euronews, Reuters, AFP, France 24, and El País. Fake covers of French publications also appear on the network.

Political narratives and calls to action

Among the key messages promoted by the fake accounts are calls for Spain to leave the European Union, for Catalonia to declare independence, and for a new division of Germany into Eastern and Western parts. A separate line of activity is aimed at convincing citizens that participating in the elections is pointless, as the political course of European countries is allegedly set to remain unchanged regardless of the election results.

Who identified the network and the history of investigations

Researchers from the AntiBot4Navalny project passed data on this new operation to The Insider. According to their information, the materials are disseminated through a network of fabricated accounts posing as journalists, media representatives, and independent civil society organisations.

The activity of the "Matryoshka" network has been recorded previously. In 2024, the French state agency VIGINUM, which specialises in countering foreign digital interference, published the results of its own investigation. The agency noted that the campaign had been operating since at least September 2023, covered more than 60 countries, and actively used fabricated materials in the names of Western media and public figures.

Previously, The Insider reported that structures linked to the administration of the President of Russia had been developing similar fake publications since 2022. The new wave of disinformation uses European electoral cycles and internal societal conflicts as instruments of influence.