Thu Mar 20 08:22:44 UTC 2025: ## Ghost Writers, Real Propaganda: Al Jazeera Exposes Russian Disinformation Campaign in Africa
**Bangui, Central African Republic/Doha, Qatar** – Al Jazeera Investigations has uncovered a sophisticated Russian disinformation campaign targeting French-speaking West and Central Africa. The operation utilizes fabricated online personas, including at least 15 ghost writers, to publish hundreds of articles promoting anti-French sentiment and portraying Russia in a positive light.
The investigation revealed the campaign uses the identity of deceased individuals, such as Jean-Claude Sendeoli, a deceased teacher and football referee whose image was used to create the online persona of Gregoire Cyrille Dongobada, a purported political and military analyst. Dongobada’s articles, published across numerous African media outlets, consistently criticize France’s influence in the region and praise Russia’s growing presence.
Al Jazeera’s investigation traced payments for these articles, showing a network of middlemen, including Togolese journalist Aubin Koutele, facilitating the distribution of pre-written content to financially-strapped news organizations. Metadata analysis of the articles revealed links to a 10-digit phone number associated with Seth Boampong Wiredu, a Ghanaian national with ties to the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA), known for its interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
Experts consulted by Al Jazeera, including disinformation researcher Nina Jankowicz and political scientist Michael Amoah, confirmed the campaign’s hallmarks of Russian influence operations, highlighting the use of fabricated identities and the targeting of existing societal grievances to amplify anti-French narratives. The articles are published in countries experiencing increased Russian military and economic involvement, often under governments sympathetic to Moscow.
While the Kremlin and other implicated parties haven’t responded to Al Jazeera’s inquiries, the investigation raises serious questions about the extent of Russia’s disinformation efforts in Africa and their impact on regional politics. The French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs responded by highlighting its efforts to reform its historical partnership with Africa, emphasizing a shift towards greater sovereignty and economic independence for African nations.
The Al Jazeera investigation underscores the increasing use of sophisticated disinformation campaigns in the global struggle for influence, revealing how readily available online platforms can be manipulated to shape public opinion and political landscapes. The campaign’s success in leveraging the financial vulnerabilities of African media outlets highlights the urgent need for greater media literacy and critical analysis of online information sources.
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