The Russian "Matryoshka" bot network has begun targeting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, spreading disinformation in Armenian and foreign languages, The Insider reports.
A "bot" (from the English word robot) is a program that automatically performs specific actions instead of or like a human.
The bots accuse Pashinyan of being the "most corrupt leader" in the Middle East and of "covering up" the Armenian Genocide. Some publications even claim that he takes "strong tranquilizers," citing non-existent sources.
The videos are mainly distributed on the X and TikTok platforms, often under the names of major international and local media outlets (e.g., Euronews, France 24, Yeni Şafak, tert.am). According to the Bot Blocker Project, fake, partially edited videos were used.
It is noted that one possible reason for the information campaign is Pashinyan's planned visit to Turkey on June 20. Another version is that the reason is his conflicts with the internal opposition and the head of the church.
The Insider confirms that the bot posts belong to the "Matryoshka" network, but it does not publish these specific links to avoid spreading misinformation.
