Russia-Linked Disinformation Fuels Ceuta Migration Crisis

During the Ceuta migration crisis, Russia-linked social media accounts amplified far-right narratives, reaching over 720,000 views within hours. The disinformation campaign began on August 1, coinciding with a surge of 72,000 migrants attempting to cross into Ceuta from Morocco. Accounts framed the crossings as a coordinated 'assault' and suggested complicity from authorities, while also spreading Islamophobic and antisemitic conspiracy theories. The analysis by the counter-disinformation group 411 revealed that these narratives were reproduced in seven languages and were amplified by networks connected to the Pravda network and the Telegram channel Rybar, linked to Russian intelligence. Additionally, social media discussions provided practical advice that encouraged migrants to attempt the crossing, indicating a level of organic coordination among them. The findings highlight the growing organization and power of disinformation campaigns in Europe.

Key Points: • Russia-linked accounts reached over 720,000 views in hours during the Ceuta crisis. • Disinformation framed migrant crossings as a coordinated 'assault' with authority complicity. • Social media discussions provided practical advice to migrants, indicating organic coordination.