6 Russian disinformation actors added to UK Russia Sanctions Regime.

Today, 28th October, the UK government has designated 6 Russian disinformation actors under the Russia Sanctions Regime.

The following entities are now subject to an asset freeze, trust services sanctions and internet services sanctions:

1. Social Design Agency (Unique ID: RUS2292)
2. Structura National Technologies (Unique ID: RUS2293)
3. ANO DIALOG (Unique ID: RUS2294)

The following individuals are now subject to an asset freeze, trust services sanctions, travel ban and internet services sanctions:

1. Andrey Naumovich Perla (Unique ID: RUS2289)
2. Ilya Andreevich Gambashidze (Unique ID: RUS2290)
3. Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tupikin (Unique ID: RUS2291)

BACKGROUND

Three Russian agencies and three senior figures who are attempting to undermine and destabilise Ukraine and its democracy have been sanctioned today by the UK.  

The Social Design Agency (SDA) is tasked and funded directly by the Russian State. Along with its partner company, Structura has attempted to deliver a series of interference operations designed to undermine democracy and weaken international support for Ukraine.    

This year, the SDA also attempted to incite protests in half a dozen European countries. However, despite Russia pouring money into these malign organisations’ interference activities, their lies have consistently struggled online, with bots and fake sites getting limited interaction. This has forced the SDA to consider buying social media views.  

The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:   

• Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest.   
• Today’s sanctions send a clear message: We will not tolerate your lies and interference and are coming after you.  
• Putin’s desperate attempts to divide us will fail. We will constrain the Kremlin and stand with Ukraine for as long as possible. 

These firms are responsible for a vast malign online network known as Doppelganger. Through this complex network, content, including fake posts, counterfeit documents, and deepfake material, has been pushed out to audiences in English, German, and French.

The SDA has crafted a web of at least 120 sites spoofing existing news and government websites, towards which it deceptively redirects unsuspecting social media users. Tactics included avoiding common trigger words to circumvent content moderation tools and evade account takedowns. We are working with social media platforms to ensure they know this activity.    

Our international partners, including France and the EEAS, have also previously exposed Doppelganger’s malign interference networks. As part of the monitoring and analysis for the 2024 European Parliament Elections, the European External Action Service has detected that a Doppelganger / RRN Media operation actively promoted Russian narratives to disrupt and interfere with the electoral process.

META previously attributed this network to the SDA and revealed that it was running global information operations aimed at weakening support for Ukraine. France exposed these Russian actors in June 2023 through the publication of a report by its agency, Viginum.

PRESS RELEASE = https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-sanctions-putins-interference-actors

View the full UK Sanctions List. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list