A fraudulent website mimicking the French Ministry of the Armed Forces was exposed for falsely recruiting French volunteers for Ukraine. Denounced by the Ministry of the Armed Forces on March 28, this disinformation is believed to be linked to pro-Russian sources, and followed misleading claims about France sending 2,000 soldiers to Ukraine.
? #Désinformation. L’URL d’un site « s’engager en Ukraine » qui reprend la charte graphique des sites gouvernementaux circule actuellement sur X. Ce site est un faux site gouvernemental, relayé sur les réseaux sociaux par des comptes malveillants, pour une campagne de… pic.twitter.com/SuVUrocVPk
— Ministère des Armées ?? (@Armees_Gouv) March 28, 2024
Registered on March 15, right after President Emmanuel Macron considered the deployment of Western soldiers without leading an offensive, the website “Join forces in Ukraine” (S’engager en Ukraine) falsely promised recruitment of 200,000 men with exaggerated benefits.
Additionally, the campaign created nearly 70 fake soldier profiles on a professional networking platform, posing a risk of personal data misuse, as candidates were prompted to share personal information under the pretense of recruitment communication. Promoted by pro-Russian Twitter accounts with paid blue badges, this misinformation could be aimed at distorting France’s military intentions.
The French agency Viginum, responsible for countering foreign digital interference, is investigating, emphasizing the ongoing effort to combat misinformation, especially those attempts to weaken public support for Ukraine by misrepresenting France’s stance and actions.
