Claims of Reduced Russian Bot Activity Following Ukrainian Strikes on Data Centres Lack Evidence

Claims that Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centres have significantly reduced Kremlin-linked bot networks have circulated widely online. However, experts have informed BBC Verify that there is no substantial evidence to support these assertions.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested there was "less hate, less division and fewer provocations" online due to a decrease in bot activity. This statement followed viral social media posts claiming a notable drop in influence operations in recent days.

Russian influence operations, which disseminate pro-Kremlin narratives and spread disinformation, have been monitored by researchers and journalists, including BBC Verify, for over a decade. These campaigns often push disinformation related to the Ukraine war and promote messages supportive of Moscow's interests.

Since October 8, Ukraine has targeted three of Russian tech giant Yandex's five data centres in retaliation for Moscow's attacks on Ukrainian internet hubs. The second strike on Thursday prompted Yandex, often referred to as Russia's Google, to announce difficulties in maintaining its services.

Despite claims that these attacks have impacted Russian disinformation operations, including accounts promoting groups like the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement in the US and the far-right AfD party in Germany, these assertions appear to stem from a misinterpretation of data from tech firm Cloudflare. Some social media users have shared charts indicating a decline in bot activity using Yandex's network.