France takes down pretend web site inviting volunteers to ‘enlist in Ukraine’ | EUROtoday
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French authorities have uncovered an internet site containing a pretend recruitment drive for French volunteers to affix the battle in Ukraine, the defence ministry stated on Thursday.
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The website has now been taken down by French providers, a authorities supply, who requested to not be named, informed AFP with out giving additional particulars on the character of the operation.
The website, which is now inaccessible, stated 200,000 French individuals had been invited to “enlist in Ukraine”, with immigrants given precedence.
A hyperlink to the positioning – that resembled the French military’s real recruitment portal – had been posted on X, previously Twitter, the French defence ministry stated.
“The site is a fake government site,” the ministry stated, additionally on X, “and has been reposted by malevolent accounts as part of a disinformation campaign”.
🚨 #Disinformation. The URL of a “get involved in Ukraine” website which makes use of the graphic constitution of presidency websites is presently circulating on X. This website is a pretend authorities website, relayed on social networks by malicious accounts, for a… pic.twitter.com/SuVUrocVPk
— Ministry of the Armed Forces 🇫🇷 (@Armees_Gouv) March 28, 2024
The ministry didn’t title any suspects within the web site spoof, however a authorities official, talking on situation of anonymity, stated the positioning bore “the hallmarks of a Russian or pro-Russian effort as part of a disinformation campaign claiming that the French army is preparing to send troops to Ukraine”.
French President Emmanuel Macron angered the Russian management final month by hardening his tone on the battle sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, refusing to rule out sending floor troops and insisting Europe needed to do all that was wanted for a Russian defeat.
Similar latest examples of disinformation posts included footage of French military convoys wrongly introduced as shifting in the direction of the Ukrainian border, the official stated.
The pretend web site invited potential recruits to contact “unit commander Paul” for details about becoming a member of.
The defence ministry and authorities cyber models are investigating, ministry workers informed AFP.
The French authorities has not too long ago stepped up efforts to denounce and combat what it says are Russian disinformation and destabilisation campaigns geared toward undermining French public assist for Ukraine in its battle in opposition to Russia.
(AFP)
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240328-france-takes-down-fake-website-inviting-volunteers-to-enlist-in-ukraine