Distorted Realities: Exposing Malign Influence in Bulgarian Online Discourse. Country Report
Published Wednesday 2 April 2025 at 10:11
Russia is escalating its hybrid warfare in Europe, exploiting Bulgaria’s economic, institutional, and societal vulnerabilities as entry points for information manipulation and interference campaigns designed to weaken national security and destabilise democratic governance. This report presents the results from research activities implemented by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) as part of the Bulgarian-Romanian Observatory of Digital Media (BROD). It examines the spread of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives in Bulgarian online media and Telegram channels in 2024, focusing on three key topics of social importance: 1) Bulgarian ethnic minorities in Ukraine, 2) the European Green Deal (EGD), and climate change in general, and 3) the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination in general.
To extract metadata for misleading articles prevalent in online news outlets, researchers employed Sensika media intelligence tool, which indexes an extensive catalogue of over 8,000 Bulgarian-language websites. The analysis covered article volume, key sources, frequently mentioned individuals and organizations, and other key indicators. Furthermore, outlets were categorized into three groups: Kremlin-critical, “balancing,” and pro-Kremlin, based on CSD’s classification of 178 major platforms covering political, economic, and social issues. Additionally, 33 low-credibility “mushroom websites” known for spreading repetitive and misleading content were monitored. For Telegram analysis, programmatic methods were used, employing Telethon, a Python library that enables interactions with Telegram’s Application Programming Interface (API). The study analyzed publicly available Bulgarian-language posts based on volume, engagement (reactions and views), and the most influential channels. The top ten most-engaged Telegram channels were further examined for Kremlin-aligned disinformation.
The findings demonstrate that Bulgarian-language online and social media spaces remain vulnerable to Russian-backed disinformation efforts. Telegram, in particular, serves as an echo chamber for anti-Western and conspiratorial narratives.
The most covered topic (56,000 articles) was COVID-19 & vaccination, dominated by mainstream sources but also exploited by pro-Kremlin and sensationalist outlets. Disinformation narratives focused on vaccine dangers, population control, and global conspiracies, including claims about 5G and “nano-chips”. Telegram played a key role in amplifying anti-vaccine rhetoric, with pro-Kremlin and conspiracy-driven channels spreading false claims on an unprecedented scale (over 15,000 posts, 14M+ views).
The European Green Deal & climate change was the second most covered topic (40,000 articles), with mainstream, expert, and aggregator sources contributing. Misinformation campaigns targeted climate policies, with prominent narratives portraying the Green Deal as a tool for economic destruction. Pro-Kremlin outlets, such as Pogled Info, amplified Russian state narratives, including conspiracy theories linking climate action to globalist control. Telegram posts falsely claimed the EU’s climate agenda was a front for social control, often tied to broader anti-Western messaging.
The topic of the Bulgarian minority in Ukraine received limited media attention (4% of total articles collected). Coverage was dominated by “balancing” and “mushroom” websites, amplifying misleading narratives. Pro-Kremlin actors framed false claims about Ukrainian persecution of ethnic Bulgarians, often citing Russian state-controlled sources. Telegram discussions were overwhelmingly influenced by pro-Kremlin channels, reinforcing anti-Ukraine rhetoric.
The research underscores the urgent need for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder response to counter malign influence in Bulgaria’s information space. Priorities include the effective enforcement of legislative measures such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and stronger regulatory oversight of pro-Kremlin media. Equally important is the development of public awareness and media literacy initiatives through institutions and civil society collaboration. A whole-of-society approach is essential to strengthening Bulgaria’s resilience against disinformation and safeguarding its democratic integrity.
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