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Kremlin-linked Matryoshka bot network launches campaign on Greenland dispute, claims Zelensky ready to send troops to fight against the U.S.
ContentsThe Kremlin-linked online bot network known as “Matryoshka” has launched a disinformation campaign focused on the escalating dispute over Greenland, according to researchers from the Bot Blocker project (@antibot4navalny), which monitors Russian bot activity on social media. The researchers told The Insider that the campaign is aimed at amplifying tensions surrounding the standoff between the U.S. and several of its NATO allies.
On social media — including on Russian Telegram channels — fake stories are currently being circulated in the guise of authentic reports by Western media. They make the following claims:
- “Protests by Ukrainian refugees who are opposed to Donald Trump's intention to attack #Greenland swept across Europe and the United States.”
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky supposedly “supported the European Union in the fight for Greenland.” After the fake video made the rounds online, Zelensky did voice support for Denmark’s territorial integrity and expressed hope for a diplomatic resolution, but he did not speak of any intention to intervene in any sort of “fight.”
- The independent investigative outlet Bellingcat allegedly reported that “Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to send Ukrainian troops to Europe in the event of a U.S. invasion of #Greenland.”
- Philosopher and mathematician Nassim Nicholas Taleb purportedly said: “I would bet that Europe, with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services, will try to kill Donald Trump.”
- Bellingcat also supposedly reported that “the Bundeswehr has begun developing scenarios for waging war in Greenland.”
- “If Europe had taken the other side in 2022, it would not have lost Greenland or its own economy,” a statement falsely attributed to political scientist Edward Luttwak and presented with the logo of the Institute for the Study of War.
- Fake magazine covers which circulated months ago claim that 71% of Greenlanders support joining the United States, contradicting statements by local authorities.
The Insider has obtained links to the original tweets and evidence provided by Bot Blocker. These confirm that the accounts spreading the disinformation narratives belong to the Matryoshka network. The Insider is not publishing these links so as to avoid the further dissemination of disinformation.
The Greenland dispute
The confrontation over Greenland began after Donald Trump announced plans to establish control over the autonomous Danish territory. Trump has justified the move on national security grounds, saying the island is surrounded by Russian and Chinese vessels.
Trump has linked his aspiration for control over Greenland to plans for a $175 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense system. Early on the morning of Jan. 20, he published a Truth Social post claiming that “Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back — On that, everyone agrees!“
After Denmark and its European allies rejected the proposal, Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on eight European countries — Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland. The tariffs are set at 10% starting from Feb. 1 and will rise to 25% on June 1, remaining in place until a “full and final agreement” on transferring Greenland to Washington is signed.
On Jan. 15, several European countries sent troops to Greenland in a show of support for Denmark. Authorities in Greenland and Copenhagen have rejected the U.S. plans. Talks on Jan. 14 between U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and representatives of Denmark and Greenland failed to produce an agreement.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump’s persistence on Greenland is partly driven by what he sees as a foreign policy success in the overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January 2026.
The Insider’s correspondent in Copenhagen, Morgane Fert Malka, spoke with ordinary Danes, government officials, and analysts about the situation. Based on those conversations, both the Danish public and the country’s leadership appear to be baffled by Trump’s actions and remain unclear about his ultimate goals.
What is Matryoshka?
The “Matryoshka” hybrid operation is a coordinated Russian disinformation campaign that experts link to a network of bots, “trolls,” and affiliated anonymous media outlets. Its goals are to spread large volumes of fake content, create artificial waves of information, and shape public opinion both inside and outside Russia. The Bot Blocker project coined the operation’s name, describing the structure as being layered like a matryoshka nesting doll: each “doll” hides another, with one set of bots masking others and disinformation circulating on multiple platforms and channels, making it harder to trace.
The operation includes several core components. The first is the creation of numerous bot accounts styled as real users, research initiatives, and independent regional media outlets. These accounts generate dozens — sometimes hundreds — of posts daily, mimicking local language, tone, and context. The second component involves the coordinated dissemination of fake stories across multiple platforms, such as X (Twitter), Telegram, Bluesky, and closed chat groups. The bots use logos of Western media outlets or human rights organizations in order to make their posts appear credible.
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