SBU blocked in Kyiv the activity of “botfarm" organized by Russia’s nationals and internally displaced persons from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to the SBU Department of counter-intelligence protection of state interests in the sphere of informational security, a group had over 500 of active accounts. Through these profiles and communities, its members distributed false information in social networks, incited protest moods, and also carried out information attacks against accounts of Ukrainian senior officials. The ultimate goal of customers was to reduce the confidence of citizens in the state institutions by spreading unreliable information about the economic and social situation in Ukraine.

The “botfarm" was also used to send anonymous messages about the mining of critical infrastructure facilities and crowded places, in particular, shopping and entertainment centers, underground stations, bus stations. SBU officers documented that attackers provided services for distance registration in Telegram of anonymous accounts, channels and communities for illegal trafficking of explosive devices, drugs, etc.

During the search at location of “botfarm" in the rented office, law enforcement officers discovered computer and special equipment (GSM-modems, routers), almost 2000 SIM-cards of mobile operators of Ukraine. Also draft records for the registration of social networks users, who placed provocative comments under the publications of Ukrainian politicians.

The identities of organizers ate established. Currently, procedural actions are under way to bring two persons to responsibility.