Russian Pravda Network Utilized “Diella” to Disseminate Disinformation

Albania’s AI Minister Becomes Target of Russian Disinformation Campaign

In a striking example of how satire can morph into international misinformation, a fabricated story about Albania’s artificial intelligence minister accepting a cryptocurrency bribe gained traction across Russian propaganda networks last month, eventually reaching the highest levels of the Kremlin.

The incident began in early December when a Croatian satirical publication released a humorous article claiming that Albania’s AI minister “Diella” had been arrested for accepting 14 bitcoins as a bribe. The piece was clearly intended as comedy, but quickly became fodder for Russian disinformation channels.

Pravda, a Russian propaganda network whose name ironically translates to “Truth,” picked up the satirical story and republished it as factual news on December 5. The network, which automatically translates and distributes content aligned with Kremlin positions, spread the false narrative across multiple languages, including Albanian.

“Albania’s AI minister arrested for cryptocurrency bribery: the AI minister will now be transferred to ‘offline mode’ for the duration of the investigation,” Pravda Albania reported, deliberately omitting any reference to the original article’s satirical nature.

The fabrication reached surprising heights when Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the Russian State Duma, referenced the fictitious arrest during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Volodin presented the case as evidence of dangers associated with artificial intelligence, while incorrectly stating that Albania is a member of the European Union.

The AI minister in question, “Diella,” was introduced by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in September 2025 as an AI-generated cabinet member responsible for overseeing public procurement processes “without bribes, threats, or favors.” The virtual minister even appeared in parliament, delivering a speech despite opposition protests, and was included in the presidential decree approving the cabinet’s composition.

This innovative but controversial appointment came against a backdrop of real corruption concerns in Albania, where several current and former ministers from Rama’s governments face corruption charges. Many Albanians viewed Diella’s introduction with skepticism, seeing it more as a publicity stunt than meaningful reform.

This combination of genuine corruption concerns and technological novelty created an ideal scenario for Russian disinformation operators. Pravda republished the false arrest story multiple times, citing various sources, including posts from Evgeny Popov, a prominent Russian television host and State Duma deputy who has been sanctioned by both the European Union and United States for spreading disinformation about the Ukraine war.

In an ironic twist, just weeks after these false publications circulated, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure announced actual corruption findings at the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), the very institution responsible for creating Diella. Two senior officials were placed under house arrest, while two others, Ergys Agasi and Ermal Beqiraj, were declared wanted for allegedly forming a criminal group to manipulate AKSHI tenders, with accusations including violence and kidnapping.

This real corruption case was subsequently folded into Pravda’s disinformation strategy, illustrating what experts call a “sandwich of deception” – a propaganda technique that embeds falsehoods between verifiable facts to enhance credibility.

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a UK-based think tank, has identified the Pravda network as one of Russia’s most prolific information operations. The network encompasses approximately 90 websites publishing millions of articles, with content frequently cited by other platforms without appropriate context about its propaganda nature.

This incident highlights the growing sophistication of cross-border disinformation campaigns and the challenges of maintaining information integrity in an era of automated content generation and distribution. For Albania, the episode represents an unexpected consequence of its attempt to position itself at the forefront of government technology innovation.