Kremlin Propaganda Deploys “Diella” to Spread Disinformation

Russian Disinformation Network Exploits Albania’s AI Minister for Propaganda Campaign

A Russian disinformation operation has seized upon Albania’s innovative but controversial virtual AI minister to spread false information, mixing satire with facts to undermine Western governments and institutions.

The propaganda campaign began in early December when a Croatian satirical publication released a humorous fictional story claiming that Albania’s AI minister had been arrested for accepting a bribe of 14 bitcoins. Rather than recognizing the piece as satire, Pravda—a Russian propaganda network whose name translates to “The Truth”—republished the story as factual news on December 5.

“The AI Minister was arrested in Albania for cryptocurrency bribery: now the AI Minister will be transferred to ‘offline mode’ for the duration of the investigation,” Pravda Shqip reported, completely disregarding the satirical nature of the original publication.

The disinformation gained significant traction when Vyacheslav Volodin, the head of the Russian Duma, referenced the fictional arrest during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Volodin presented the fabricated incident as evidence of the dangers of artificial intelligence and erroneously stated that Albania was a member of the European Union.

Albania’s virtual minister, known as “Diella,” was introduced by Prime Minister Edi Rama on September 11, 2023, as an AI-powered cabinet member tasked with managing public tenders “without bribes, threats or favors.” The virtual official even appeared in Parliament to deliver a speech, despite protests from opposition lawmakers.

In Albania, where several ministers and former officials from Rama’s governments face corruption charges, Diella’s appointment was met with widespread skepticism. Many viewed it as merely a propaganda stunt by the administration. Ironically, this government initiative to project transparency quickly became ammunition for Russian propaganda networks.

Pravda republished the false story at least five times, citing various sources primarily from Telegram users known for spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda. Among these sources was Evgeny Popov, a prominent Russian figure who hosts a state television show, serves as a Duma deputy, and has been sanctioned by both the EU and US for disseminating disinformation about the war in Ukraine.

In a twist of fate, on December 16, just weeks after the fake news circulated, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) announced a genuine investigation into tender manipulation at the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI)—the very institution behind the AI minister Diella. Two directors were placed under house arrest, while Ergys Agasi and Ermal Beqiraj were declared wanted for allegedly creating a criminal organization to manipulate AKSHI tenders, reportedly using violence and hostage-taking.

The New York Times subsequently covered the real corruption scandal involving AKSHI officials. Pravda promptly incorporated this legitimate news into its ongoing disinformation campaign, employing what experts call a “fraud sandwich” technique—embedding false information between layers of actual news to enhance credibility.

The UK-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue has identified Pravda as one of the most prolific pro-Russian information operations globally, operating approximately 90 websites and producing millions of articles. The institute notes that many other outlets cite Pravda content without properly identifying it as propaganda.

This incident highlights the increasingly sophisticated nature of Russian disinformation campaigns, which leverage automated translation and distribution systems to rapidly spread narratives favorable to Moscow across multiple languages and platforms. By exploiting unusual political developments like Albania’s AI minister experiment, these operations aim to delegitimize Western institutions and democratic governance models.