Ukrainsk polis uppger att de sprängt flera ryska trollfabriker och beslagtagit över 100 000 sim-kort som ska ha använts för att skapa mer än 1,5 miljoner falska konton i syfte att sprida desinformation på nätet. Många av kontantkorten ser ut att komma från svenska Comviq och Lycamobile. – Vi...
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Russian troll factories blown up in Ukraine - lots of Swedish sim cards found
Ukrainian police say they have blown up several Russian troll factories and seized over 100,000 SIM cards allegedly used to create more than 1.5 million fake accounts to spread disinformation online. Many of the cash cards appear to come from Swedish Comviq and Lycamobile.
- We naturally think it is regrettable, says Fredrik Hallstan, head of communications at Tele2, to SVT Nyheter.
Thousands of cash cards, in sacks and stacked in cupboards, and a multitude of connected mobile phones and mobile broadband. The video, which has been published by the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, shows armed police raiding Russian troll factories, in a nationwide operation dubbed "Bot Factories."
"During the house searches, over 100,000 SIM cards were seized which were used to register fake accounts. In total, the bot network had more than one and a half million accounts in various social networks, email services and messaging. Bots were registered to spread inaccuracies and propaganda, pro-Russian stories," the police write in a press release.
A total of 13 suspected troll factories are said to have been shut down in connection with the operation.
"Can assume that a Comviq card was used"
Among the cash cards are packaging from Lycamobile with Swedish text on it and stacks of SIM cards from Swedish Comviq, a brand owned by Tele2.
- We can assume that Comviq cards have been used for something that is criminal activity in this factory, says communications manager Fredrik Hallstan.
Many platforms require a phone number to register an account, according to Per-Erik Nilsson, researcher in information warfare and strategic communication at FOI. For example, Telegram, which was used a lot during the war. According to him, there is also value in the fact that information appears to come from more countries than Ukraine.
- It is the classic propagandist thing, to polarize, sow splits or to lay smoke and fog curtains that benefit Russia in various ways, says Nilsson.
Monitors data
After the outbreak of war, Comviq introduced free calls to and from Ukraine, so that people on the run can more easily get in touch with each other.
- If it has been used and exploited by something that could be thought of as criminal activity, we naturally take it very seriously, says Fredrik Hallstan.
In the past, it has been relatively easy to get a SIM card in Sweden without registering. After 1 August 2022, however, it is no longer possible to buy unregistered and anonymous prepaid cards for mobile phones or mobile broadband.
Ukraine
War
Update
Bakhmut: Ukrainian and Russian troops furiously battle in and around Bakhmut. After being reinforced with men and material as reported by British Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian troops hold the line against Wagner PMC repeated attempts to breakthrough. Georgian, American and Belarusian volunteers help AFU in Bakhmut Sector. It seems that Russians are focusing more on South of Bakhmut instead of assults from East. Both Ukraine and Russia loose men on Large scale.
