The U.K. government has imposed sanctions on three Russian agencies, including the Social Design Agency (SDA) and Structura, for their role in spreading disinformation online. These groups, reportedly part of a larger campaign known as “Doppelganger,” targeted prominent figures like Kate Middleton in an effort to divert public attention and distort perceptions around Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, Russian-linked actors amplified conspiracy theories surrounding Kate Middleton’s health, suggesting she underwent surgery for abdominal cancer. British authorities believe that the Russian-based Doppelganger network seized on public curiosity about Kate to promote pro-Russia narratives on social media.
Martin Innes, director of the Security, Crime and Intelligence Innovation Institute at Cardiff University, reported that his team identified 45 accounts disseminating misleading information about Kate Middleton. Innes explained that these accounts didn’t initiate the rumors but exploited existing speculations to sow distrust in Western institutions.
This misinformation campaign extended to other royals as well. Just days before Kate’s health update, a false story claiming that King Charles had died circulated on Russian media platforms, prompting the British Embassy in Kyiv to debunk it publicly.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned these tactics, emphasizing that “Putin’s attempts to divide us will fail.” The U.K. sanctions were supported by other countries, including the U.S., Canada, and the EU, who collectively conde
