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Russian “Matryoshka” Bot Network Exploits Olympic Ban Of Ukrainian Athlete To Spread Fake News
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
A coordinated disinformation campaign by the Russian-aligned bot network “Matryoshka” has targeted Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych following his disqualification from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.
The findings, reported by The Insider on February 16, 2026, detail a sophisticated effort to exploit the athlete’s protest to undermine international support for Ukraine.
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According to researchers from the Bot Blocker project cited by The Insider, the network is disseminating a series of fabricated videos and articles across platforms such as X, Telegram, and BlueSky.
These materials are professionally styled to impersonate high-profile Western organizations including the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Reuters, and Deutsche Welle. One falsified report, carrying the ISW logo, falsely claimed that a military flashmob supporting Heraskevych led to the exposure of Ukrainian troop positions and subsequent casualties.
The disinformation includes manipulated reports suggesting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is considering a total ban on the Ukrainian team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Other fabrications reported by The Insider allege that the sports brand Under Armour has banned Ukrainian athletes and that Italian authorities have recorded numerous incidents involving intoxicated Ukrainian fans. These stories have been widely amplified by “seeders” and “quoters"—accounts within the network designed to push content to a global audience.
The “Matryoshka” network operates by creating layers of fake accounts that mimic regional news outlets and research initiatives, making the source of the disinformation difficult for average users to identify.
The campaign follows the disqualification of Heraskevych on February 12, 2026, after he refused to compete without a helmet honoring over 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed in the ongoing invasion.
The IOC ruled the “helmet of remembrance” a violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political messaging on the field of play. Despite personal pleas from IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Heraskevych maintained his stance, later telling reporters that the decision felt like a double standard compared to other commemorative items allowed in the past.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials have condemned both the disqualification and the subsequent disinformation. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously emphasized that the Olympic movement should help stop wars, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the disqualification as a “moment of shame” for the IOC.
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