INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russia is waging an intense disinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the International Olympic Committee and stoking
fears of violence at this summer's games in Paris, according to a new report from Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center.According to Microsoft,
the influence operations use a potent mix of fake videos, fictitious news stories, and AI-generated impersonations, including the faked
voice of Hollywood star Tom Cruise."Russia is ramping up these malign campaigns against France, President (Emmanuel) Macron, the IOC, and
the Paris Olympics," said Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, in a blog post Sunday."While Russia has a
decades-long history of targeting the Olympic Games, the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center has observed old tactics blending with artificial
intelligence...that may intensify as the 2024 Paris opening ceremony approaches," he added.The report revealed that two prolific Russian
cyber-actor groups, Storm-1679 and Doppelganger, have pivoted operations over the past year to target the Olympics directly.Their malicious
activities escalated in June 2023 with the release on Telegram of a feature-length fake documentary titled "Olympics Has Fallen."Using
AI-generated audio impersonating "Top Gun" actor Cruise, slick computer graphics, and a sophisticated marketing rollout, the film disparages
the IOC in an apparent bid to erode global public support of the Games.Storm-1679 has also repeatedly produced and amplified fictionalized
news clips, videos and press statements falsely claiming that fears of terrorism have sparked a wave of ticket cancellations and property
insurance purchases among Parisians.Meanwhile, threat group Doppelganger intensified anti-Olympics messaging across its network of 15
disinformation websites and forged content claiming to be from French news outlets, like Le Parisien, to smear Macron.Microsoft said it
suspected that Russian groups were also behind the circulation of fake images of graffiti threatening a repeat of the 1972 Munich Olympic
massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian militants.As the July 26 Opening Ceremony looms, Microsoft anticipates the Russian
disinformation blitz will intensify across more languages and media formats.Watts warned the campaigns could even attempt real-world
provocations near Olympic venues to sow further chaos.The campaign is not unexpected.Macron in April said he had "no doubt" Russia was
targeting the Paris Olympics, including with disinformation.The Kremlin "is feeding every day the idea that we can't do this or that, that
there's a risk," he said.The Kremlin dismissed the "absolute slander"."This constitutes absolute slander and nothing more
It has nothing to do with reality," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
