War in Ukraine and Immigration Top Targeted Topics in Disinformation Campaigns

Fact-checkers across Europe documented a significant surge in disinformation related to the war in Ukraine and immigration during November 2025, according to the latest report from the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) fact-checking network.

The network’s 32 contributing organizations published 1,486 fact-checking articles last month, with Ukrainian war-related disinformation jumping to 10% of all content analyzed. This four-percentage point increase appears driven by heightened media attention on the conflict and associated peace talks.

Immigration-related disinformation continued its upward trend for the fourth consecutive month, rising by one percentage point to account for 9% of all fact-checked content. Meanwhile, disinformation about the Gaza crisis dropped substantially by six percentage points, reflecting diminished media focus on that conflict.

Other monitored categories remained relatively stable, with EU-related disinformation at 6%, climate change at 5%, COVID-19 at 3%, and LGBTQ+/gender issues at 2%.

Ukraine Disinformation Campaign Targets Military Capabilities

Pro-Russian disinformation in November primarily focused on portraying Ukraine’s military as weak and facing imminent collapse. Synthetic videos created with artificial intelligence technology circulated across Europe, falsely depicting Ukrainian troops surrendering, particularly in the Pokrovsk sector where a Russian offensive was underway.

Another false narrative claimed that “desks of shame” had appeared in Ukrainian schools, allegedly meant to stigmatize children whose fathers had left military units.

Ukrainian political leadership also faced targeted disinformation campaigns. False claims circulated that President Volodymyr Zelensky holds Russian citizenship and owns luxury real estate in Moscow, while another fabricated story alleged he purchased a $79.5 million ranch in Wyoming.

Analysts note that these efforts align with a strategic exploitation of recent verified reports about corruption in Kyiv, with Russian disinformation likely to leverage this news to reinforce narratives portraying Ukraine as unworthy of Western support.

Immigration Disinformation Fuels Far-Right Narratives

Far-right groups continued spreading false claims about European immigration policies, portraying governments as prioritizing migrants over citizens. In Germany, fabricated reports claimed a new law would force citizens to surrender spare rooms in their homes to refugees. Greek authorities faced similar challenges with disinformation misrepresenting a Ministry of Migration directive as permitting undocumented migrants to work in the country.

These narratives dovetail with the unfounded “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which has gained traction in far-right circles. The theory falsely suggests a deliberate plan to replace European populations with non-European immigrants, particularly Muslims.

In several countries, false reports claimed Muslim groups were protesting against Christmas celebrations. AI-generated images showing Christmas markets surrounded by security barriers further contributed to rising Islamophobia online.

Other sensitive topics exploited included education and women’s rights. In Northern Ireland, false claims suggested that teaching Christianity had been banned from schools, while Belgian disinformation alleged that a woman wearing an Islamic veil was attacked by Muslim men for showing her bare arms.

AI-Generated Disinformation Reaches Record Levels

The EDMO report highlights a concerning milestone: AI-generated disinformation reached its highest level to date, with 205 fact-checking articles (14% of the total) addressing artificially created content.

This technology has become a primary tool for creating false narratives about the Ukraine conflict, with numerous fabricated videos showing Ukrainian troops surrendering. Another notable example included a manipulated video purporting to show Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk berating President Zelensky and accusing him of corruption.

AI has also been extensively deployed to create content supporting far-right messaging across Europe. One widely circulated video falsely depicted a teacher in Ireland or the UK leading schoolchildren in Islamic prayer.

The increasing sophistication and volume of AI-generated disinformation present growing challenges for fact-checkers, media organizations, and the public as the technology becomes more accessible and its outputs more convincing.