Covert Russian Network Exploited French Riots on Social Media, EU Assessment Seen by Reuters Says
Reuters reported on November 9, citing an internal European Union assessment it had seen, that a covert Russian-aligned network sought to exploit last month's riots in France by using social media to blame the unrest on uncontrolled immigration and to portray the French government as having lost control. The EU analysis identified the network as "Operation Overload."
The EU analysis covers the period from October 7 to 21. Rioting erupted in French cities last month as demonstrations against rising living costs and declining public services spiralled into some of the worst violence the country has witnessed for decades.
A separate internal assessment compiled by France's foreign ministry, also seen by Reuters, found that social media accounts linked to Israel and to the U.S. MAGA movement also pushed large volumes of content about the unrest. According to the French ministry's figures, the 10 most-viewed X posts on the unrest from pro-Russian spheres drew 2.8 million views from October 16 to 18; the 10 most-viewed posts by MAGA-linked officials, media outlets and influencers drew more than 49 million views in the same period; and the 10 most-viewed posts from Israeli officials, government accounts, media outlets and influencers drew more than 35 million views.
Reuters said it was not able to independently verify assertions made in either report. Russia's foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment; in August, ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova rejected allegations by a French state watchdog agency of spreading disinformation about France's 2027 elections. French officials referred Reuters to remarks by President Emmanuel Macron, who said on October 21 that there had been no visible foreign interference behind the protests.
Reuters also noted that France's disinformation watchdog Viginum published a detailed report on Overload and similar Russian operations in 2024.
Source: Reuters, November 9, 2026, citing an internal EU assessment and a French foreign ministry assessment.
来源链接： https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/covert-russian-network-exploited-french-riots-social-media-eu-report-says-2026-11-09/
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Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 法国巴黎市中心夜景，塞纳河与埃菲尔铁塔。（Wikimedia Commons／CC BY-SA 4.0）| Night view of central Paris, France, with the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. (Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0)
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