One of the networks was discovered by Facebook after a tip from the FBI, which has been monitoring Russian and other foreign actors online. The three Russian networks involved nearly 350 accounts, pages and groups on Facebook and its photo-sharing subsidiary Instagram. Facebook acted against two networks run by Russian intelligence services, including one by the military’s GRU intelligence agency that hacked and disseminated damaging Democratic Party emails in 2016, the company said. It did not specify the other intelligence agency, but the State Department report linked that network with Russia’s civilian Foreign Intelligence Service. All of the networks removed by Facebook on Thursday worked to direct users to stand-alone websites run by Russian operatives that operate beyond the control of the social media company.

Source: Washington Post September 24, 2020 19:00 UTC