Recent analysis

Putin and the ‘real lessons’ of World War II

UkraineAlert May 27, 2025

Russia is extinguishing all traces of Ukrainian identity in occupied Ukraine

By Kateryna Odarchenko

Throughout occupied Ukraine, the Russian authorities are seeking to consolidate their control by eradicating all traces of Ukrainian statehood and national identity while imposing a reign of terror on the civilian population, writes Kateryna Odarchenko.
Conflict Disinformation
Putin and the ‘real lessons’ of World War II

New Atlanticist May 5, 2025

What’s the best way to deal with Russian information manipulation? Latvia has answers.

By Elīna Vrobļevska and Beniamino Irdi

By combining policy tools, public education, media support, active debunking, and international partnerships, Latvia has built a layered defense.
Disinformation Europe & Eurasia
Putin and the ‘real lessons’ of World War II

New Atlanticist Apr 18, 2025

Exposing Pravda: How pro-Kremlin forces are poisoning AI models and rewriting Wikipedia

By Valentin Châtelet

Our investigation explores how Russia is weaponizing Wikipedia and artificial intelligence chatbots to expand its global malign influence campaign.
Disinformation Europe & Eurasia

Programs

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Jun 23, 2020

Putin and the ‘real lessons’ of World War II

By Mark N. Katz

Putin pins the blame for Moscow’s most notorious foreign-policy action—signing a 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact—on the West and distorts the historical record. Even if some of Putin’s criticisms of Western behavior are justified, his failure to acknowledge the USSR’s World War II-era misbehavior makes it impossible to trust him.

Disinformation Russia
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 17, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 17, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

With South America as a growing epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maduro regime has doubled down on his politization of the disease, accusing the governments of Colombia and Brazil of intentionally infecting Venezuelans who are returning from those countries to their home country.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Jun 15, 2020

How Maria Ressa described her fight for press freedom before her conviction

By David A. Wemer

During the Digital Forensic Research Lab’s 360/OS event in June 2018, Ressa described The Philippines, which has some of the highest rates of social-media usage in the world, as “patient zero in the fight [over] fake news.”

Disinformation East Asia
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 9, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 9, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

After the U.S. Embassy in Colombia announced on May 27 that specialized U.S. Army personnel – the Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) – would be supporting Colombian security forces with counter-narcotics operations, pro-Maduro media exaggerated the number of U.S. military personnel deployed to the country.

Disinformation Venezuela

Issue briefs and reports

Jun 5, 2020

Operation Carthage: How a Tunisian company conducted influence operations in African presidential elections

By Andy Carvin, Luiza Bandeira, Graham Brookie, Iain Robertson, Nika Aleksejeva, Alyssa Kann, Kanishk Karan, Ayushman Kaul, Tessa Knight, Jean le Roux, Roman Osadchik, Esteban Ponce de Leon

A Tunisia-based company operated a sophisticated digital campaign involving multiple social media platforms and websites in an attempt to influence the country’s 2019 presidential election, as well as other recent elections in Africa. In an exclusive investigation that began in September 2019, the DFRLab uncovered dozens of online assets with connections to Tunisian digital communications firm UReputation. On June 5, 2020, after conducting its own investigation, Facebook announced it had taken down more than 900 assets affiliated with the UReputation operation, including 182 user accounts, 446 pages, and 96 groups, as well as 209 Instagram accounts. The operation also involved the publication of multiple Francophone websites, some going back more than five years.

Africa Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2020

Moderate Zelenskyy makes a mockery of the Kremlin’s anti-Ukraine propaganda

By Vitaliy Syzov

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has distanced himself from the national identity politics of his predecessor Petro Poroshenko. This has significantly complicated Russian efforts to demonize "nationalistic" Ukraine.

Conflict Disinformation
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 2, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 2, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

In May, the Maduro regime restricted access to specific websites, including YouTube and Instagram, during a virtual session of the country’s National Assembly. According to nongovernmental organizations, journalists and medical personnel have also been detained since the COVID-19 pandemic first began spreading in the country.

Disinformation Venezuela

In the News

May 28, 2020

Francis in the Financial Post: Time to rein in social media — and Donald Trump

By Atlantic Council

Digital Policy Disinformation
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

May 27, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: May 27, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

The hashtag #OperacionGedeon, in reference to the name of the failed attempt to oust Nicolás Maduro from power, trended on Twitter in Venezuela from May 3, 2020, when the first armed clashes and detentions were reported by the Maduro regime, until May 6.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2020

Activists fight COVID-19 disinformation in the Caucasus

By Larry Luxner

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia now face a new and growing threat: the steady stream of propaganda related to how and why COVID-19 is spreading throughout the Caucasus.

Disinformation The Caucasus
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Experts

Fellow

Caleb Eames

Senior US Marine Corps Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Africa Crisis Management

Staff

Audrey Roh

Program Assistant

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Cybersecurity Japan

Staff

Dominique Ramsawak

Associate Director, Communications

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Digital Policy Disinformation

Fellow

Ethel Rudnitzki

Nonresident Journalist Fellow

Global China Hub

Brazil China

Advisory Council member

Gordon Humphrey

Member, Freedom and Prosperity Center Advisory Council

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Disinformation Freedom and Prosperity

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation
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