Recently, an image was posted on Facebook to highlight the beauty of Moscow: Modern skyscrapers towering above a marina with white luxury yachts in the soft glow of the golden hour.

However, one crucial detail in the picture is false: The image was not taken in the Russian capital but in Dubai.

All it takes to verify the picture is a simple reverse image search.

The account from which the image was posted is known for regularly sharing pro-Russian content. Its owner, Vladimir Poutine (sic), features a profile picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, according to some profile information, such as a phone number, the dubious account seems to operate from the East African nation of Burundi.

Over 180,000 people follow the account, which presents itself as a news platform.

There are even more obvious lies on the platform. One of them claims a Russian laser weapon once destroyed 750 American fighter planes.

But not all posts are false and as crude in pursuing the aim of influencing their audience politically; many feature far more subtle messages amid growing indications that Russia wants to project a positive image in strategically important African countries.

Identifying the source behind the disinformation being disseminated online is not always easy. However, there are certain trends:

According to a report published in March 2024 by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies — a US military think tank — Russia is now the primary agent of such state-sponsored campaigns across Africa.

The study found that 80 out of almost 200 campaigns could be attributed to Russia as a state actor — far more than other countries such as China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia or Qatar.

The organization also highlights that since its previous survey two years earlier, there has been a fourfold increase in deliberate disinformation campaigns documented.

Clumsy fakes like the supposed Moscow marina are rare in these campaigns.

Instead, the creators behind them use truthful elements, which are then distorted by exaggerations or skewed by deliberately omitting relevant information.

Another frequent tactic is exploiting and reinforcing existing public opinion: "In Africa, there is a natural juxtaposition of East versus West, in which the West is historically the villain," says Aldu Cornelissen, co-founder of the South African digital consultancy Murmur Intelligence.

"You don't need lies........

© Deutsche Welle