Russia sought to influence the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU.
This was stated by the head of the UK domestic intelligence service MI5, Ken McCallum, the Centre for Countering Disinformation reports.
According to McCallum, to influence the referendum the Kremlin enlisted the Russian propaganda outlets RT and Sputnik, as well as bot networks on social media.
The Centre notes that Russia systematically uses its propaganda infrastructure to destabilise the situation and interfere in the internal affairs of Western states.
It stresses the need to tighten sanctions and block Russian state propaganda. Countering information threats from the Kremlin is a matter of national security for democratic countries.
- The EU Council has extended for another year individual sanctions against individuals and organisations responsible for Russia’s destabilising actions abroad.