For Russian diplomats, disinformation is part of the job

By DAVID KLEPPER
Associated Press

Governments and social media companies have moved to restrict the ability of Russia’s state media to spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine. That has prompted the Kremlin’s diplomats to step up to do the dirty work. Russian embassies around the world control hundreds of accounts on platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Those two companies have added labels to their posts and tried to limit their reach. But research shows these diplomatic accounts are still disseminating pro-Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories, including ones suggesting Russia has been framed for recent attacks that killed civilians. The Russian Embassy in the U.S. hasn’t returned a message seeking comment.