Document Type

Report

Publication Date

3-25-2026

Abstract

For this project our team expanded our search for inauthentic actors to new locations, specifically Bluesky. With the help of internet watchdogs Antibot4Navalny and dTeam, we began investigating a network known as “Matryoshka”1, aka “Operation Overload”2, aka “Storm-1679.”3 We discovered the network was stealing the identities of moderately known people of influence ranging from political candidates to university staff members. Because Twitter/X users had not created versions of themselves on Bluesky, due to its relatively new arrival on the social media scene, their identities were ripe for the taking by nefarious actors. During the time we observed this campaign (January 2025 - February 2025), these inauthentic accounts amplified the agenda of right-wing German politics aligned with the timing of the 2025 German federal election. This report documents the Bluesky branch of the Matryoshka campaign, the tactics used by the inauthentic accounts, and how we identified the accounts. To conclude, we discuss the potential impact of the campaign on the broader social media ecosystem.

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