NEW YORK(The COW News Digital) A new investigation has revealed that Russian-linked hackers have compromised hundreds of online accounts on the social media platform Bluesky and used them to spread fake news and disinformation, according to reports.
The New York Times reported that the coordinated activity appears to be part of a broader influence campaign aimed at weakening public support for Ukraine. The report states that nearly 2,000 posts have been removed since April as part of ongoing moderation and security efforts on the platform.
Security researchers say the operation represents a more aggressive phase in Russia’s evolving strategy of online information warfare, shifting from simple fake accounts to the hijacking of legitimate user profiles to amplify misleading narratives.
Experts noted that the latest wave of activity highlights how state-linked or state-aligned actors are adapting their methods to bypass platform security systems. Instead of relying solely on fabricated identities, the attackers are now exploiting compromised accounts to increase credibility and reach wider audiences.
Darren Linvill, director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University, told the newspaper that Russian-linked actors are continuously experimenting with new tactics. He explained that earlier campaigns were largely based on fake profiles and fabricated content, but recent activity shows a clear shift toward more sophisticated and harder-to-detect methods.
Researchers and digital monitoring groups, including the organization known as D-Team, have linked the campaign to the Moscow-based Social Design Agency, which has previously been accused of running coordinated online propaganda and disinformation operations.
Analysts warn that such operations pose a growing challenge for social media platforms, as attackers increasingly combine cyber intrusion techniques with information warfare strategies to influence public opinion and political discourse.
The development comes amid rising global concerns over the role of disinformation in shaping narratives around geopolitical conflicts, particularly the ongoing war in Ukraine. Platforms are now under increasing pressure to strengthen cybersecurity systems and improve detection of coordinated inauthentic behavior.
