Influence operations related to Wagner Group persists

Russian paramilitary troop Wagner Group-linked disinformation campaigns have continued unabated months after the death of the group's leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

The U.S., Ukraine, Europe, and Russia have been primarily targeted by persistent Wagner influence operations, one of which has been promoting pro-Russian sentiments to right-leaning individuals in the U.S. since October 2020 believed to have been controlled by Internet Research Agency-linked personalities, a report from Google Cloud's Mandiant Intelligence unit revealed.

Such a campaign, which has also been spreading messages regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict, may be part of the group's arsenal in targeting the upcoming presidential polls, said researchers.

Operations have also continued albeit in a reduced capacity for the IRA-linked Cyber Front Z campaign, which was launched following the Russia-Ukraine war. However, researchers did note a potential expansion of activity in the future.