Possible Russian interference in the Stoke by-election

Christopher Furlong / Getty

• Pro-Russian Twitter accounts target the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election.

• Automated Twitter bots suspected of "astroturfing" operation.

• Moscow accused of cyber warfare against Western democracies.

• Corbyn is seen favourably by Russian government.

LONDON — A network of pro-Russian Twitter accounts seems to be trying to swing this Thursday's crucial Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election in favour of Labour, and against Paul Nuttall and UKIP, according to the BBC.

The multiple accounts were first identified by researcher Alex King as posting pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine propaganda.

However, in recent weeks they have switched to pumping out memes and hashtags that target UKIP leader Paul Nuttall in an apparent attempt to swing the election to Labour.

One Tweet included a meme attacking Nuttall for the false claim to have lost friends in the Hillsborough disaster.

"UKIP's Nuttall lied about 'close friends' at Hillsborough," it reads.

"Can this man be trusted? Don't vote Nuttall."

King told Business Insider that the network of accounts used hashtags to spread thousands of images across social media.

"There are 20 odd Twitter accounts controlled by one account," he said.

"Some of these accounts were set up some years ago. They rest dormant for years and then suddenly start retweeing these images.

"The sheer volume suggests it's not just a guy in his bedroom. It's quite professionally done."

Russia has previously been accused of using automated Twitter bots in a so-called "astroturfing" attempt to undermine Western democracies.

Russian interference

A report by Atlantic Council last year suggested that Russia is actively trying to gain a foothold in British politics. It identified both Labour and UKIP as targets for Russian influence.

There is no suggestion that either party has solicited support from Moscow.

However, the report notes that Jeremy Corbyn's election as Labour leader was greeted warmly by the Russians, with their UK ambassador praising it as a "radical breakthrough in British politics."

Alexander Yakovenko told Russian television: "It is difficult to overestimate the significance of Jeremy Corbyn being elected.

"This is nothing short of a radical breakthrough in [the] British politics of the last 30 years, which have never stepped beyond the so-called Thatcherist neo-liberal consensus of the establishment."

Corbyn and his official spokesman Seumas Milne also both have a long record of opposition to NATO and Western powers. Last year Milne broke off communications with Westminster journalist after a number of publications named him as briefing journalists that the focus on Russian atrocities in Syria "diverts attention" from atrocities committed by the West.

Russia has also been accused of interfering in the EU referendum.

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw has claimed that hackers attempted to sway the result last June. "I don't think we have even begun to wake up to what Russia is doing when it comes to cyber warfare," Bradshaw told the House of Commons in December.

"Not only their interference, now proven, in the American presidential campaign, probably in our own referendum last year."

The UK, like other European countries, has strict laws against the foreign funding of British elections.

However, US intelligence agencies were last year instructed to conduct an investigation into the clandestine funding of European political parties by Russia. Moscow has been accused of seeking to boost both far right and far left parties in Europe in an attempt to "divide and rule" the continent. Last year French National Front leader Marine le Pen was forced to deny that her party had been funded by Moscow, after it was revealed it sought a large loan from a Russian bank.

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See Also:

• UKIP faces coming third in Stoke as voters turn on Nuttall for his 'toxic' Hillsborough claim

• 2 UKIP officials have quit the party over Paul Nuttall's false claim about Hillsborough

• Paul Nuttall's false Hillsborough claim is making it 'tough' for UKIP to win the Stoke by-election

SEE ALSO: Here are all the posts Paul Nuttall probably doesn't want you to see on his website

DON'T MISS: UKIP faces coming third in Stoke as voters turn on Nuttall for his 'toxic' Hillsborough claim