Jack Posobiec and QAnon groups amplifying Russian state-affiliated and pro-Kremlin posts about the power plant
The following is a record of posts from accounts with primarily western audiences that are promoting Kremlin claims about the situation in Ukraine.
Far-right influencer Jack Posobiec and groups devoted to QAnon and other conspiracy theories are circulating content about the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant from Russian state-affiliated and pro-Kremlin sources. Recently Russia fired close to the plant, raising concerns.
Aug 28, 12:32 PM EDT - Russian missiles hit close to nuclear reactors: IAEA director
Aug 26, 3:28 PM EDT - IAEA hopes to go to the Zaporizhzhia plant 'hopefully in the next few days
Boosting the Kremlin’s reach in the West
In the case of one QAnon group with over 100,000 subscribers, the admin shared a post titled “Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine” from August 28, 2022. This specific QAnon group describes itself as a “Special Qperation,” which is the Kremlin’s euphemism to refer to its brutal invasion of Ukraine.
The post shared by Jack Posobiec comes from a pro-Kremlin channel that has, among other things, recently mocked warnings about genocide and the forced re-education of Ukrainian children; doxxed an online supporter of NAFO, a group that fundraises for specific battalions and fight disinformation online; and amplified the Russian Ministry of Defense in the channel.
The user who first gained prominence promoting the “Ukrainian Biolabs” conspiracy theory, authored by the GRU in 2017, has also been sharing pro-Kremlin content related to the nuclear power plant. BioClandestine remains influential, and its posts get forwarded across various QAnon conspiracy theory groups.
In 2017, a GRU front known as CyberBerkut, Russian state media, and later an FSB-controlled outlet re-published the “Ukrainian Biolabs” story. Hoaxlines covered some of Russia’s extensive history of biological weapons disinformation.
An archived record with all the messages mentioned or embedded in this post can be found below.
