French Authorities Link Russian "Matryoshka" Network to Disinformation Campaign Against Presidential Candidate Gabriel Attal

French government authorities and a member of Gabriel Attal’s presidential campaign disclosed on Wednesday that a Russian-origin disinformation campaign had targeted Attal, the candidate for France’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for next year.

Attribution to the Matryoshka Network

The French online disinformation watchdog Viginum announced on Tuesday that it had identified the operation and attributed it “with a high degree of confidence” to the pro-Russian “Matryoshka” network. According to an official security source, the campaign remained relatively limited in reach, generating only several thousand views.

Fake content appeared on the platform X, disseminated through posts impersonating well-known French media outlets. These posts falsely claimed Attal suffers from Parkinson’s disease or supports lenient policies toward illegal occupants of residential properties.

Motivation and Broader Context

A source close to Attal suggested the attack may be linked to his “commitment to supporting Ukraine” since the start of Russia’s war in 2022. In recent weeks, another Russian-linked influence network has targeted additional French political figures.

Last week, French authorities detected a disinformation campaign directed at Raphaël Glucksmann, a left-wing Member of the European Parliament and a vocal Kremlin critic who is expected to run for the French presidency.

Storm-1516 and Prior Targets

The same security source stated that the Glucksmann operation was linked to the Russian intelligence-affiliated propaganda network “Storm-1516.” That network had previously targeted presidential candidate Édouard Philippe — former centrist prime minister — with social media posts last month.