Study: Russia Spread US Hurricane Misinformation

New research has found Russia helped disseminate misinformation about recent US hurricanes to influence political discourse ahead of the November 5 presidential election. Research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue reveals that Russian state media and social networks have spread misleading claims about hurricanes Helene and Milton, aiming to criticize the federal response and portray American leaders as corrupt. Some of these claims used AI-generated images, showing things like fake flooding at Disney World.

This new wave of disinformation, consistent with Russia's long-standing strategy of capitalizing on highly charged issues in the US, has targeted FEMA and the current administration. It also attempted to sway public opinion, potentially weakening US support for Ukraine. "These are not situations that foreign actors are creating," said Melanie Smith, director of research at ISD. "They're simply pouring gasoline on fires that already exist."