Operation Overload: How Pro-Russian Actors Flood Newsrooms with Fake Content and Seek to Divert Their Efforts

CheckFirst's original Operation Overload investigation exposes a Russian-coordinated campaign with a distinctive and previously undocumented objective: not to promote disinformation to general audiences but specifically to overwhelm fact-checkers and newsrooms with fabricated content, diverting their attention and resources. The operation targeted 800+ media organisations with coordinated email campaigns, fabricated documents, and fake social media content coordinated via Telegram.

The strategic logic of targeting fact-checkers directly — treating counter-disinformation organisations as adversaries to be neutralised — represents a significant doctrinal evolution. The investigation also documents the 'content amalgamation' technique and the unintended amplification effect of the 250+ fact-check articles triggered by the campaign. Essential reading for anyone working in fact-checking, media monitoring, or FIMI investigation.