Interactive map reveals pro-Kremlin media in French-speaking countries

This was reported by the Ukrainian Week.

To estimate the number of visits to the sites, the experts used data from Similarweb, which records information and statistics on traffic volumes, its sources, time spent on the site, page views, including keyword analysis.

The list of top manipulative websites includes: France Soir (2.76 million visitors per month), Égalité et Réconciliation (2.36 million users), Le Salon Beige (1.18 million), RéseauInternational. net (1.016 million), Crowdbunker (902,558), Le Média en 442 (830,428), Esprit Science Métaphysiques (821,940), Le Courrier des Stratèges (645,759), Qactus (531,701) and Wikistrike (506,479). 

The map also provides information about the founders and owners of the websites.

Currently, 16 pro-Kremlin online resources have been identified, 13 of which were created in France, while the rest spread disinformation from Belgium, Canada and Switzerland.

"The list does not include all the resources working for the Kremlin's interests. For example, we did not add RT and Sputnik to the list for methodological reasons. Websites that retransmit pro-Kremlin propaganda can be found almost everywhere, not just in the pro-Kremlin 'network'. In order to classify them, we chose the predominant tone of each site," said Editorial Director of Conspiracy Watch, Rudy Reichstadt.

At the same time, Reichstadt noted that the most active conspiracy theorists clearly and unequivocally support the Kremlin, Iran and the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. According to him, there are several hundred such blogs and websites in the French-speaking space, 30-40 of which have about 100,000 visitors per month, and the 12 largest - up to a million or more.

• Earlier, Russian propaganda began spreading fake news that the 54th Brigade and 14th Brigade had allegedly contracted rabies.