Matryoshka pro-Kremlin bot network accuses Swedish government of ties to paedophiles
The Kremlin’s Matryoshka bot network has launched its first known campaign targeting Sweden, spreading videos on X disguised as content from well-known international media outlets. The videos spread disinformation about Swedish politicians’ alleged ties to paedophiles and financial criminals, claims of planned election fraud, and attacks on opposition leaders. Alongside Swedish politicians,…
The Kremlin's Matryoshka bot network, a pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign, has initiated its first operation targeting Sweden. The network spreads misleading videos on X, pretending to originate from reputable international media outlets. These videos spread false allegations about Swedish politicians being linked to paedophiles, financial criminals, and plans for election fraud. The campaign also attacks opposition leaders.
One video, disguised as Der Spiegel content, accuses the Greek government of freezing financial operations of over 500 companies connected to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. These companies are claimed to be involved in drug trafficking money laundering and funding a paedophile network known as "04/09." This likely refers to Operation Fever, a Polish police initiative that arrested over a hundred criminals on April 9, 2025.
Another video, captioned "Sweden’s ruling coalition uses the same tactics against its political opponents as Germany’s CDU party," uses SVT's logo. It claims that a lobbying organization linked to Germany's CDU party is spreading disinformation to discredit Swedish opposition figures. A third video, mimicking Euronews' style, alleges that German hackers breached Sweden's BankID identification system to influence elections.
The elections for Riksdag, the Swedish parliament, are scheduled for September 13, following which parliament members will choose a new prime minister. The ruling coalition in Sweden, including the Moderate Party, Christian Democrats, Liberals, and Sweden Democrats, is facing a left-wing coalition of Social Democrats, the Left Party, Greens, and Centre Party.
Recent polls show the left-wing coalition leading by about 10 percentage points (53.9% to 43.9%), suggesting a change of government is highly likely.
Additionally, Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has issued a warning about a Russian-led disinformation campaign. Matryoshka bots have been spreading posts on X using the hashtag #TimeToDivideGermany, promoting the idea of re-dividing Germany into East and West, which they claim is a "historical necessity." This aligns with Russia's previous accusations against France and Ukraine's SBU regarding an assassination attempt on Ukrainian businessman Yermolaiev.
Written by urgent.news from The Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
