How to Spot a Russian Deepfake

Description

Russia-based groups have been found to be spreading disinformation for decades. Now a new group is capitalizing on artificial intelligence to more effectively sow doubt and chaos. Bloomberg has documented more than 190 fabricated narratives from the group, called Storm-1516. Amplified by a global network of influencers, it has targeted Ukraine as part of the Kremlin’s 12-year war on that nation, as well as elections in other democratic countries. We reveal how it works: the fake whistleblowers, actors and AI-generated faces planted on real people, and trace how a video manufactured in Russia can reach millions of people all over the world. (Originially aired Apr 27, 2026) CHAPTERS 0.00 - The allegation 2:22 - Spotting a deepfake 3:58 - Storm-1516 6:30 - Narrative laundering 7:44 - Storm-1516’s targets 10:30 - The campaign against Robert Habeck 12:02 - Shredded ballots 13:36 - Moderation and regulation 14:30 - They’re just getting started