Russian bots5 Dec 2025 16:15
Following fake reports that Zelensky has bought Bill Crosby’s House.
Darren Linvill, an expert in media forensics from Clemson University in the US, says there are four indicators of Storm-1516’s involvement. (A Russian disinformation site)
This fake story is similar to others
“I've lost track of how many extravagant homes Russia has claimed Zelensky to have purchased,” Linvill told us. The aim is to build a narrative that Ukraine is corrupt, he says.
Contentious cultural issues
Storm-1516 will often connect their stories with controversial issues that will help them. Russian disinformation about the murder of Charlie Kirk, the burning of Notre-Dame cathedral, or in today’s story, Bill Cosby.
Fake news websites
Fabricating sources that appear legitimate, like the fake Page Six website in the video, helps make the story “believable to an unsuspecting audience”, Linvill explains.
Paid social media promotion
The story is spread online by “known Storm-1516 influencers who are likely paid to post the content” as well as a network of bots that routinely post in support of Russia and China, says Linvill.
How much per post do you get paid Wilco?