ISD’s Q1 2025 analysis of Russian-aligned Operation Overload featured in the Washington Post

ISD research analysing the activity of the Russian-aligned Operation Overload in the first quarter of 2025 is featured in The Washington Post. Despite being debunked, one video—falsely claiming that USAID funded celebrity trips to Ukraine—was posted and ultimately reached millions. The video is one of 135 pieces of content identified during ISD’s analysis of the campaign’s evolving tactics and activity.

While most posts attributed to Operation Overload in early 2025 failed to gain traction, the success of this one—reposted by organic accounts unconnected to the network—highlights the risks posed by AI-driven disinformation, which can be produced quickly and cheaply.

“If one out of 100 videos gets traction, that’s a win that achieves its goal,” said ISD Senior Manager Joseph Bodnar.

Read the full article on the Washington Post.