Russian and Chinese Disinformation Campaigns Pose Threat to American Security

Growing cooperation between Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns is creating unprecedented threats to American citizens, according to a recent report by a London-based think tank. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue analysis revealed how the Russian-backed Pravda Network successfully infiltrated major U.S. publications, which treated its news articles as credible sources despite containing false narratives.

The collaboration between these two global powers represents an alarming shift in the disinformation landscape. Security experts define disinformation as “false or misleading information deliberately created or spread with the intent to deceive or mislead,” according to the National Intelligence Council’s lexicon on foreign malign influence. The ultimate goal is to manipulate public opinion and behavior within target populations.

China has increasingly adopted Russian disinformation tactics in recent years, with evidence of this strategy dating back to 2018. One Chinese official even acknowledged drawing inspiration from Russia’s 2016 U.S. presidential election interference operations. Both nations primarily deploy disinformation to enhance their international standing while undermining trust in Western institutions and governments.

What makes the current situation particularly dangerous is the growing alignment of Russian and Chinese narratives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, initially disparate messaging from both countries converged around specific themes, including the false claim that the virus was an American bioweapon. Similarly, China has amplified Russia’s fabricated justifications for its Ukraine invasion, including allegations about U.S. biological weapons programs and genocide against ethnic Russians.

This coordinated approach significantly boosts the effectiveness of their disinformation. Research on propaganda demonstrates that narratives appear more credible when they come from multiple sources. By supporting each other’s false claims, Russia and China create an illusion of independent verification that makes their disinformation more convincing to target audiences.

The real-world impact of this aligned disinformation can be deadly. During the pandemic, Russian and Chinese narratives gained traction among some American medical professionals. In 2023, researchers identified 52 U.S. physicians spreading similar false claims, such as promoting unproven alternatives to vaccination. With studies suggesting that up to one-third of COVID-19 deaths in America were preventable, the proliferation of health disinformation likely contributed to thousands of avoidable fatalities.

Despite these serious threats, the United States has dismantled much of its defense infrastructure against foreign disinformation campaigns. Since November 2024, several key federal institutions tasked with combating foreign malign influence have been dissolved or rendered ineffective. These include the State Department’s Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Office, the Justice Department’s Foreign Influence Task Force, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Foreign Malign Influence Center.

Security experts warn that this institutional vacuum leaves Americans increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated influence operations. Dr. Dana LaFon, formerly with the National Security Agency, advocates for a dual strategy to counter these threats: “pre-bunking” disinformation before it spreads and building “influence immunity” among citizens.

Pre-bunking involves proactively identifying and countering false narratives before they gain traction. This approach proved successful in 2022 when U.S. and UK governments declassified intelligence about Russia’s planned disinformation campaigns prior to its Ukraine invasion, effectively neutralizing their impact.

Complementing this approach, influence immunity aims to develop cognitive resistance to manipulation tactics. This involves educating citizens to recognize information campaigns, identify specific tactics, and develop mental countermeasures.

Without reinvesting in these protective measures, the United States risks allowing adversaries to shape public opinion and potentially cause significant harm to its citizens. Security analysts emphasize that systematic efforts to educate Americans about influence campaigns are essential to reducing the effectiveness of increasingly sophisticated disinformation operations from Russia and China.