A Kremlin-linked influence network has launched a coordinated disinformation campaign using fabricated videos of Hollywood celebrities calling for peace talks favourable to Moscow, according to digital forensic analysts. The operation, employing the hashtag #HollywoodagainstZelenskyy, features deepfake-style clips of actors Nikki Blonsky, John Seda, and Gabriella Pizzolo urging European leaders to pressure Ukraine into accepting Russian terms. These videos circulated from anonymous social media accounts with no followers or biographical details, and are absent from the stars’ verified channels.
Campaign Mechanics and Initial Spread
The fabricated content was disseminated by a cluster of newly created accounts bearing generic usernames, a hallmark of inauthentic behaviour. The campaign’s architects attempted to manufacture a fake grassroots movement, even calling for a flashmob protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Hollywood Boulevard. Digital investigators tracing the operation’s origins found no evidence the cited celebrities ever made such statements. The effort represents a sophisticated attempt to simulate organic public dissent and inject manufactured narratives into mainstream digital discourse.
Link to Established ‘Matryoshka’ Influence Network
The group Antibot4Navalny has identified the tactics as matching those of the known Kremlin-aligned ‘Matryoshka’ influence network. This structure operates by first seeding false content through a small layer of anonymous accounts, before a wider bot network amplifies it, effectively obscuring the source. This marked the first observed instance of the network employing a dedicated hashtag to promote its videos and attempting to create a fabricated ‘event,’ signalling an evolution in its methods towards more viral, engagement-driven tactics.
Strategic Aims: Undermining International Support
The campaign’s strategic objective is the gradual erosion of international backing for Ukraine. By mimicking the stance of high-profile celebrities, the operation aims to influence not only mass audiences but also political elites sensitive to perceived shifts in public opinion. In Western societies where celebrity culture significantly shapes public discourse, such tactics create an illusion of moral consensus around pressuring Kyiv to make concessions, ultimately seeking to reduce military and financial aid volumes over the long term.
Operational Sophistication and Plausible Deniability
The ‘Matryoshka’ model relies on multi-layered obfuscation, moving from seed accounts to broader bot networks and clone websites. This complex structure complicates source attribution, allowing Moscow to formally deny involvement while operating below a threshold that would trigger direct legal or sanctions-based responses from Western governments. The use of a flashmob call and a branded hashtag demonstrates a testing of new mechanics for the viral dissemination of political messaging.
Geopolitical Timing and Context
The disinformation push was launched against a backdrop of complex negotiations and public discussion on potential pathways to end the war. It coincided with President Zelenskyy’s expressed disappointment over recent mediation efforts, aiming to exploit existing diplomatic friction. The narrative seeks to discredit the Ukrainian leadership by portraying it as an obstacle to peace, thereby shifting focus from Russian aggression to purported Ukrainian intransigence. The vast majority of European leaders continue to express steadfast support for Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression.
