The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) has operationalized the study of disinformation by exposing falsehoods and fake news, documenting human rights abuses, and building digital resilience worldwide.

learn more

Content

A Russian tank spotted in southern Belarus. (Source: @tendar/euroradio)

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2022

Russian War Report: Contradictory reports of Russian vehicles returning to Belarus

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russian forces seen returning to Belarus, Telegram channels undermining peace talks with Ukraine, and how Russians continue using banned social media.

Belarus Conflict

New Atlanticist

Mar 28, 2022

Russian War Report: Additional units from Georgian breakaway regions join Russian offensive

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Soldiers from the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia are confirmed to be providing military support for Russian forces in Ukraine.

Belarus Conflict
Russian “evidence” that Ukraine intends to invade Crimea, including linguistic and cultural clues suggesting they were made in Russia. (Source: Telegram)

New Atlanticist

Mar 25, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia produces “evidence” claiming Ukraine will attack Crimea

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

A pro-Kremlin Telegram channel published suspect photos of alleged medals and certificates to reward Ukranian troops for recapturing Crimea.

Belarus Conflict
Russian State Duma member Sergey Leonov speaks at a press conference in Moscow, March 22, 2022. (Source: DumaTV)

New Atlanticist

Mar 23, 2022

Russian War Report: Russian Duma members falsely claim Ukraine is creating ethnicity-targeting bioweapons

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Members of the Russian Duma accused Ukraine and the US of creating bioweapons and researching "regional infections aimed at Russian regions."

Belarus Conflict
Instagram logo displayed on a phone screen and Russian flag displayed on a screen in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on March 14, 2022 (Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)NO USE FRANCE

New Atlanticist

Mar 21, 2022

Russian War Report: Meta officially declared “extremist organization” in Russia

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russia labeled Meta an "extremist organization," VKontakte got hacked, railways were sabotaged, and the Kremlin put on a concert to support the "military operation."

Belarus Conflict
Servicemen of the military forces of South Ossetia attend an oath of allegiance ceremony in Tskhinvali, the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, Georgia, July 5, 2015.

New Atlanticist

Mar 18, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia sends military contractors from Georgian breakaway region to Ukraine

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Military contractors from South Ossetia, Belarus' hesitancy to send troops, VPN's, the dilemma US tech companies face over Russian citizens' access, and more.

Belarus China
A deepfake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that aired on a hacked Ukrainian 24 newscast.

New Atlanticist

Mar 16, 2022

Russian War Report: Hacked news program and deepfake video spread false Zelenskyy claims

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

A deep fake of President Zelenskyy, Russia threatens to block YouTube, and an information fog surrounding the Russian TV journalist who conducted on-air protest.

Belarus Conflict
A satellite image shows ground forces equipment and a convoy, in Khilchikha, Belarus February 28, 2022. Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

New Atlanticist

Mar 14, 2022

Russian War Report: Russian false-flag operation seeks to drag Belarus into Ukraine war

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Ukrainian media reported that Russia attacked a Belarusian village from Ukrainian airspace in an attempt to make it appear that Ukraine had attacked Belarus and provoke Belarusian President Lukashenka to move troops into Ukraine. 

Belarus Conflict

New Atlanticist

Mar 11, 2022

Russian War Report: Putin endorses plan to bring 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East to fight in Ukraine

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russia’s Defense Minister announced that more than 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East had expressed interest in joining Russia’s “liberation movement” for the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Belarus Conflict
PRIPYAT, UKRAINE – FEBRUARY, 2022: Pictured in this video screen grab is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Russian Airborne troops and the Ukrainian National Guard are providing security at the nuclear power plant. An agreement has been reached with servicemen of a separate battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine to jointly provide security at the units, the confinement and the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant staff continue to monitor the radiation levels and work at the nuclear power plant as normal. Video grab. Best possible quality. Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

New Atlanticist

Mar 9, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia escalates nuclear and chemical false-flag allegations

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

On March 9, Russia escalated their claims that Ukraine intended to use nuclear or biological weapons against Russia and that capturing nuclear power plants were to "prevent" such attempts.

Belarus Conflict
Load More