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Kremlin Deploys AI Bots to Flood Telegram With Propaganda in Occupied Ukrainian Territories
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Russia is flooding Telegram channels with fake comments to manipulate public opinion in Ukraine’s occupied territories, according to a new investigation by OpenMinds and the Digital Forensic Research Lab, unveiled on July 16.
Researchers uncovered a network of more than 3,600 AI-driven accounts posting propaganda in local Telegram channels. Their goal: to glorify Russian occupation, discredit Ukraine, and create the illusion that residents support the Kremlin’s control.
One bot, for example, was active for just one day—May 11, 2024—yet managed to publish nearly 1,400 comments across 65 Telegram channels and chats. About 30 of those posts appeared in local forums followed by residents of occupied regions. The account operated from morning to midnight Moscow time, averaging a comment every 36 seconds.
According to the investigation, the narratives are typical of Russian propaganda: Putin as the world’s strongest leader, NATO as a puppet master controlling Ukraine, Zelenskyy accused of murdering his own people, and Russia portrayed as building global alliances, especially with Africa.
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Out of the comments analyzed, about 400 pushed explicit pro-Russian messaging, while nearly 1,000 were anti-Ukrainian or anti-Western. A small portion appeared neutral.
Unlike primitive bots that spam identical messages, these accounts adapted to conversations, replying to previous posts and tailoring language to reinforce Kremlin narratives — a hallmark of generative AI.
This was not an isolated incident. Investigators mapped a network of 3,634 automated Telegram accounts that posted pro-Russian comments from January 2024 to April 2025. In just five months, the network generated over 316,000 comments in channels tied to occupied territories — plus another 3 million in Ukrainian and Russian chats. The most active bots posted more than 1,000 comments a day.
The AI behind these accounts left clear digital fingerprints, including peculiar usernames, mismatched profile photos, recycled propaganda themes, and unnaturally formal language.
Researchers say this strategy is part of Russia’s broader information war to dominate the media space in occupied regions. From day one of the occupation, Russia switched locals to Russian telecom providers, cut access to Ukrainian media, and launched dozens of Telegram channels disguised as local news outlets.
In areas where Telegram is often the only news source, manipulating comments helps fabricate an “artificial consensus” — the illusion that most people support the occupiers, which can influence individual beliefs.
Bots also responded to key events. During Ukraine’s 2024 offensive in the Kursk region, bots flooded channels with praise for Russian relief efforts and calls to stay calm. After the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow, bots defended Russian security forces and blamed Ukraine. When Finland and Sweden joined NATO, bots downplayed the threat.
In the occupied territories, surges in propaganda were often driven by coordinated Kremlin campaigns rather than specific local events — as seen in March 2024, when bots amplified fears of World War III and accused Ukraine of undermining peace negotiations.
Earlier, Russia initiated a new information-psychological operation against Ukraine, this time aiming to disrupt the mobilization process.
The Center for Countering Disinformation reported that pro-Russian platforms are actively promoting fake Telegram bots, purportedly created to collect and expose the locations of Ukraine’s recruitment centers.
