Russian intelligence used fake Telegram channel to snoop on Ukranian military – reports

Source: Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security

Russian intelligence used the Telegram platform to create and mimic channel linked to the Ukranian military, according to the latest report by Ukrainian cybersecurity experts.

Among those was the recently exposed  Telegram channel “NachShtabu” (Head of Staff). Run by Russian intelligence operatives, it planted manipulative and false stories to lower the morale of Ukrainian troops and harvested the information on Ukraine’s servicemen.

In the first 6 months of 2024, it posted

• At least 110 fake “insider” reports from military units.
• 84 disinformation posts, echoing Russian propaganda narratives.
• 23 post smearing the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Syrskyi,
• 52 posts promoting anti-mobilization sentiments.
• 46 posts linked to possible espionage or sharing sensitive military information.
• 26 posts on low morale of  Ukraine’s army.

The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security has labeled NachShtabu a “tool of Russia’s information-psychological and intelligence operations, claiming they have noticed several red flags:

• The channel moderators were trying to pry out  classified military data.
• It has used psychological manipulation to extract information from Ukrainian soldiers.
• It spreads Russian propaganda and disinformation.
• It actively seeks to disrupt and stoke negative response to Ukraine’s army recruitment efforts.

The channel’s ultimate goal is likely to weaken to stoke divisions within Ukraine’s military and undermine the country’s defense capabilities.