Disinformation Trends

MONITORING SNAPSHOT 13

18 – 31 March 2025

SUMMARY

DFRLab conducts a bimonthly analysis of data based on a search query including Ukrainian, Russian, and English languages to identify spikes in CBRN disinformation narratives. This report (18–31 March 2025) reveals an influx of nuclear-related narratives and chatter on both Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) focused on discourse around potential ownership of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP); as well as claims about the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) allegedly attacking Russian NPPs and nuclear air carrier fields; claims the AFU is hiding military equipment near nuclear substations to avoid Russian strikes; allegations of NPP disrepair in Ukraine; and general fearmongering speculating on the possibility of nuclear war. There have been some messages talking about the existence of US-funded biolabs in Ukraine and Armenia but most biological narratives centered around claims tied to the Covid-19 virus and vaccines, labeling them as bioweapons. Significant narratives around chemical weapons continue to be detected at lower volumes.

BIOLOGICAL DISINFORMATION:

Some claims centered around US-funded biolabs in Ukraine and Armenia

RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR DISINFORMATION:

Allegations of AFU strikes against Russian NPPs and claims of disrepair at Ukrainian NPPs

EXAMPLES OF DISINFORMATION NARRATIVE TRENDS

Biological Disinformation

Claims about US-funded biolabs in Ukraine and Armenia

Sources: Telegram; Twitter/X

Radiological and Nuclear Disinformation

Claims Ukraine’s NPPs are not maintained and much of the equipment is past its expiration date.
Chatter about potential ownership of ZNPP following Ukraine-US negotiations on the resource deal (link).
Claims Ukraine is hiding military equipment near nuclear substations to prevent Russian strikes.
Continued discussion about placement of nuclear warheads in Europe and possibility of future nuclear weapon development.
1. Claims France’s statements on nuclear weapons will lead to nuclear escalation.
Claims NATO troops shouldn’t have access to ZNPP due to their alleged anti-Russian agenda (link).
Claims of AFU attacks against a number of Russian nuclear-related objects.
1. Claims of AFU attacks against Kursk NPP as a policy-making tool (link).
2. Claims about AFU attacks in proximity to Rostov NPP.
3. Claims about potential nuclear fallout from AFU’s attacks against Engels airbase, which houses some of Russia’s nuclear carriers.

Sources: Telegram; X (Twitter); Web Articles

IDENTIFYING DISINFORMATION TRENDS

The Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP) is committed to strengthening WMD disarmament and nonproliferation efforts. Disinformation campaigns significantly undermine cooperative threat reduction efforts. The GP Counter WMD Disinformation Initiative aims to track ongoing narratives, understand their impacts and counter state-sponsored or state-adjacent disinformation across Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats.

Narrative Trend Monitoring: As part of the GP efforts to identify, understand, and mitigate hostile CBRN disinformation, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) conducts a bimonthly search query of state-sponsored or state-adjacent disinformation narratives. This real-time detection allows the initiative to swiftly recognize, isolate and respond to disinformation narratives and networks as they occur.

Methodology: This snapshot report is created from a search query that includes content in Ukrainian, Russian, and English languages, providing an extended search base and corpus of analysis and scale. The focus of the query is centered around CBRN–related messages about the Russian War on Ukraine on social media platforms and online news websites. The report provides examples of notable messages that are likely to include disinformation or key discussions that might be used in mis/disinformation in the future.

Disclaimer: Links are provided for published news sources of official state accounts; links to private accounts are excluded for privacy preservation reasons.