Percepto's Battle Against Russian Disinformation in French-Speaking Africa

Israeli company Percepto International, specializing in disinformation-for-hire, discovered a wide-ranging Russian disinformation campaign aimed at destabilizing Burkina Faso and other democratically-elected governments in the Sahel region of Africa. Pro-Russian fake news sites, social media groups, and influencers were used to spread propaganda and undermine Western influence. The campaign has resulted in the toppling of governments in five former French colonies, with new leaders in Mali and Burkina Faso being overtly pro-Russian. French troops have been replaced with Russian mercenaries in Mali and the Central African Republic. The case highlights the growing business of disinformation-for-hire and the challenges faced by Western governments in countering such campaigns.