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Is Zelensky right to say data centre strikes have taken down Russian bots?
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Claims that Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centres have significantly reduced Kremlin-linked bot networks lack evidence, according to experts consulted by BBC Verify.
- Ukrainian President Zelensky suggested a decrease in online hate and provocations, but his office clarified he was referring to social media atmosphere, not a confirmed drop in bot activity.
- The perceived decline in bot activity linked to Russian influence operations is based on a misinterpretation of Cloudflare data, which tracks general internet traffic and not specific social media bot behavior.
- Researchers monitoring Russian disinformation campaigns report no significant change in activity from known pro-Kremlin bot clusters following the strikes on Yandex data centres.
- While the attacks have disrupted internet services and affected Yandex's operations, there is no conclusive evidence they have impacted Russian disinformation or influence operations online.
