Foreign Malign Influence

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“For our competitors, WMD disinformation is cheap, effective, and poses major challenges to national security and the credibility of U.S. and Allied governance and partnerships. These narratives are powerful because they’re scary and play on primal fears – especially the false biological narratives on the heels of a global pandemic. Specifically for DTRA, WMD foreign malign influence threatens our personnel, reputation, and capacity to support our partners abroad to prevent WMD use”

Rebecca Hersman

Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency

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Disinformation


False information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to a rival power or the media

Misinformation


Spreading false information such as rumors, insults, falsehoods, sometimes unknowingly.

Foreign Malign
Influence


FMI is any hostile effort undertaken by, at the direction of, or on behalf of, or with the substantial support of, a foreign government with the objective of influencing, through overt or covert means. This includes the use of disinformation and propaganda spread by nefarious actors.

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Foreign Malign Influence (FMI) is any hostile effort undertaken by, at the direction of, or on behalf of or with the substantial support of, a foreign government with the objective of influencing, through overt or covert means. This includes the use of disinformation and propaganda spread by nefarious actors. For decades, nefarious actors have used disinformation to deliberately deceive and influence public opinion, destabilize societies, and impact things like politics, elections, social issues, and instill fear around world events. Disinformation and propaganda campaigns often target DTRA programs as part of larger efforts aimed at discrediting the United States by undermining alliances and eroding trust in partnerships with beneficiary countries by deliberately spreading false information. FMI has long targeted DTRA, but more recently, the Kremlin has taken aim at various different aspects of DTRA most notably the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR)’s programs with its beneficiary partner nations.

By filling the information space that would otherwise be filled with lies from malign actors with truthful stories and fact-based articles, DTRA is better able to compete with and discredit targeted FMI like the unfounded and debunked allegations that the United States conducts chemical and biological weapons activities in Ukraine when in fact, the United States does not operate any chemical or biological weapons programs or facilities in Ukraine.

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Articles in the News

 
 
Link to article about Soviet Disinformation Campaign about the Ex-Soviet Bioweapons Labs.

Ex-Soviet Bioweapons Labs in Georgia, Armenia, a...

Special Report
Jul. 09, 2022

Ex-Soviet Bioweapons Labs in Georgia, Armenia, and Elsewhere Now Fighting the Coronavirus Targeted by a...
Read More
Screenshot of the Fact sheet

Fact Sheet on WMD Threat Reduction Efforts with ...

Special Report
Jun. 10, 2022

The U. S. Department of Defense has just released a new fact sheet on WMD Threat Reduction Efforts with...
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Tweet from Chris Livesay about article from CBS News video on Ukraine Biolabs

Inside the Ukrainian facility at the heart of Ru...

Special Report
May. 25, 2022

CBS News visited a DTRA-assisted biolab in Kyiv to debunk the conspiracy theories that they are biological...
Read More
Gloved hand holding a beaker - blue background

No, the US has not built a biological weapons la...

Special Report
May. 17, 2022

Disarming disinformation isn't just happening in the country of Ukraine. Propaganda spreads to other...
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Dr. Robert Pope is interviewed by CBC News in an investigative report that exposes how a QAnon conspiracy theory about U.S.-funded 'Biolabs' in Ukraine morphed into mainstream disinformation.

Dr. Pope Interviewed for CBC News: The National

Special Report
Apr. 10, 2022

Dr. Robert Pope is interviewed by CBC News in an investigative report that exposes how a QAnon conspiracy...
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Woman Scientist

Disarming Russia's Bioweapons Disinformation

Special Report
Mar. 22, 2022

"The Departments of State and Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Programs support and build partner nations’...
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Fox news on a tablet

The Often Subtle Distinction Between Anti-U.S. a...

Special Report
Mar. 15, 2022

The Washington Post provides brief timeline of events that took a little noticed post about covert weapons...
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Man in mop suit

U.S. Dismisses Russian Claims of Biowarfare Labs...

Special Report
Mar. 09, 2022

"The United State denied renewed Russian accusations that Washington was operating biowarfare labs in Ukraine,...
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woman scientist in uniform

In Ukraine, U.S.-Military-Linked Labs Could Prov...

Special Report
Mar. 09, 2022

"US officials are trying to prevent the Russian military from capturing pathogens stored in US-affiliated...
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map of Ukraine with fire on border

The 46 US Labs in Ukraine and the $200 Pentagon ...

Special Report
Mar. 05, 2022

"A Pentagon program meant to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction across 46 Ukrainian laboratories...
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news on a tablet

Russian Media Spreading Disinformation About U.S...

Special Report
Feb. 08, 2022

Some outlets the US State Department highlighted as Kremlin proxy media in a 2020 report on Russian media...
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The Department of Defense's Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR), executed by Defense Threat Reduction Agency, aims to peacefully reduce biological threats around the globe but certain countries try to falsely undermine and discredit the program's efforts to do so. Take a look at the below video to hear how the United States formally responded to the false allegations targeted at the CTR program.

The U.S. Government Responds to False Allegation...

Special Report
Jan. 10, 2022

The Department of Defense's Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) aims to peacefully reduce biological threats...
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Videos

 
Video by Andrea Chaney
Science, Facts, and Common Sense: A conversation with Dr. Rebecca Dunfee on the false bio lab narratives targeting DTRA
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Jan. 24, 2024 | 31:21
Secret Ukrainian bio labs? Weaponized birds? Combat mosquitoes? Dr. Rebecca Dunfee, Chief Scientist of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Biological Threat Reduction Program, sits down to speak science and show the ridiculousness of conspiracy theories coming from Russian officials. After earning her PhD in Virology from Harvard, Dr. Dunfee has committed her career to biological cooperation to bolster international public health.

With Russian officials and state media making inflammatory, incorrect claims about DTRA’s work in Ukraine, Dr. Dunfee goes on record to discuss all the positive, cooperative public health projects DTRA has undertaken in partnership with Ukraine. She also leverages her scientific expertise to display just how preposterous some of the fabrications from Russia really are. Tune in to hear more on DTRA’s cooperation with Ukraine and even how Russia used to be an eager partner with DTRA on a variety of programs.
More

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Fact Sheets

pdf iconU.S. State Department Disarming Disinformation Site

Aug. 24, 2023
Disinformation is one of the Kremlin’s most important and far-reaching weapons. Russia has operationalized the concept of perpetual adversarial competition in the information environment by encouraging the development of a disinformation and propaganda ecosystem.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconBiological Threat Reduction Program Global Nuclear Security

Aug. 1, 2023
The Global Nuclear Security (GNS) Program supports the cooperative dismantlement of nuclear weapon programs, as well as the transportation and disposition of related systems and associated materials. The GNS Program builds international partner capacity and expertise to secure nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons-usable or high-threat radiological materials, nuclear weapons components, equipment, technology, and expertise, and to counter nuclear smuggling.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconBiological Threat Reduction Program Chemical Security and Elimination

Aug. 1, 2023
The Chemical Security and Elimination (CSE) Program supports the cooperative elimination of chemical weapons (CW), related materials, and infrastructure; and builds the capacity of international partners to secure toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) and CW precursors, as well as associated components, materials, equipment, technology, and expertise.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconBiological Threat Reduction Program BTRP

Aug. 1, 2023
Biological Threat Reduction Program protects the United States, its Armed Forces and our allies from biological threats by strengthening the capabilities of partner nations and the international community to prevent, detect and prepare for outbreaks caused by biothreat pathogens.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconCooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Ukraine Factsheet

May 15, 2023
Since 2005, the program assisted the Ukrainian government in converting former Soviet biological weapons (BW) research facilities to support peaceful and safe biological detection and diagnostic capabilities and reduce the threats posed by dangerous pathogens, whether they are naturally occurring, accidental, or intentional.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconU.S. DoD CTR Program (DoD CTR) Biological Threat Reduction Engagement with THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

April 14, 2023
U.S. Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (DoD CTR) Biological Threat Reduction Engagement with THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, 1996-2013. Since 1991, Congress has provided $2.3 billion to support CTR efforts globally.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconCongressional Research Service (CRS) Ukraine Factsheet

April 14, 2023
Biological Security Engagement in Ukraine: U.S. Cooperation and Threat Reduction Programs

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconBiology Threat Reduction Program Nigeria Factsheet

April 14, 2023
Since 2018, the program has worked with the Nigerian public health sector to enhance its diagnostic and disease detection capabilities to support both local and international efforts to diagnose, track, and respond to potential infectious disease outbreaks.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

pdf iconThe Kremlin’s Never-Ending Attempt to Spread Disinformation about Biological Weapons

March 14, 2023
Russia, like the Soviet Union before it, has pushed false claims for decades about biological weapons in an attempt to create mistrust in the peaceful global efforts and public health institutions that counter biological threats.

View Fact Sheet by clicking link above

 

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