Ukraine Cyber Police Bust Pro-Russia Bot Farm Spreading Disinformation and Fraud Ukraine’s Cyber Police have taken down yet another bot farm involved in spreading pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation about the war in Ukraine on social media.
This larger-scale operation had over 100 individuals participating from different locations across the country, using approximately 150,000 SIM cards to create fake accounts on various platforms. The bots were responsible for conducting information and psychological operations, defending the actions of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, and distributing illegal content.
Additionally, the bot farm administrators face accusations of internet fraud, including the illegal sharing of personal data and dissemination of fake security threats.
The Ukrainian cyber police conducted an extensive investigation, conducting 21 searches and confiscating computer equipment, mobile phones, and SIM cards to disrupt the bot farm’s operations. The use of bot farms by Russia to spread propaganda and sow panic during the ongoing war in Ukraine has been a concerning issue. In this case, the perpetrators received payments in Russian rubles, which is a prohibited currency in Ukraine.
To convert the funds into usable resources, they employed sanctioned payment systems like WebMoney and PerfectMoney to convert the rubles into cryptocurrency and transfer them to bank cards.
Administrators of bot farms typically set up their operations in their homes or abandoned buildings, utilizing servers and SIM cards to create and manage fake accounts.
Unauthorized interference in information and electronic communication networks is regarded as a crime under the Ukrainian Criminal Code, carrying the risk of imprisonment. The successful crackdown on this bot farm highlights the ongoing efforts of the Ukrainian authorities to combat the dissemination of false information and protect the integrity of online platforms during times of conflict.
