---
format: "aidr-story-markdown/v1"
id: "6499658a1823cb53c69d6e8d1cbae679bf8cba38a7822a6c4bc782fee7faf952"
canonical_url: "https://aidr.today/6499658a?lang=en"
title: "OpenAI Disrupts Russian ChatGPT Psyop Posing as Fake Israeli Think Tank With 20,000 Followers"
lang: "en"
requested_lang: "en"
available_langs: ["en","vi"]
translation_fallback: null
fallback_fields: []
published_at: "2026-08-26T11:55:39.000Z"
category: null
topics: ["openai","safety","disinformation","russia","gpt"]
source_urls: ["https://huggingnews.com/ai/openai-disrupts-russian-chatgpt-psyop-posing-as-fake-israeli-think-tank-6752a9b3","https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489822011118041","https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489841451688232","https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489888931184764","https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489902793306174","https://x.com/TheHackersNews/status/2092547335742230786","https://x.com/ZeffMax/status/2092333565279384041"]
summary: "A network of ChatGPT accounts was banned after OpenAI traced a series of pro-Kremlin social media posts to Russian operators. The actors used VPNs to bypass geographic restrictions on the AI tool to promote the International Burke Institute, a fake Israeli think tank, on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Substack and Telegram. An OpenAI review of 36 articles on the institute's website found that 34 had been stolen from other sources. The operation promoted a fake \"sovereignty\" index that rated Russia above the US and EU and falsely claimed that academics Noam Chomsky and Francis Fukuyama were experts. The network operated Telegram channels, including one called American Observer, with audiences of 10,000 to 20,000 followers. The campaign was exposed after one post used the phrase \"the Svetofor coalition\" to describe Germany's government, a term not used by native English speakers."
---

# OpenAI Disrupts Russian ChatGPT Psyop Posing as Fake Israeli Think Tank With 20,000 Followers

> [Open the canonical story](<https://aidr.today/6499658a?lang=en>)

**Published:** 2026-08-26T11:55:39.000Z
**Topics:** openai, safety, disinformation, russia, gpt

## Summary

A network of ChatGPT accounts was banned after OpenAI traced a series of pro\-Kremlin social media posts to Russian operators\. The actors used VPNs to bypass geographic restrictions on the AI tool to promote the International Burke Institute, a fake Israeli think tank, on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Substack and Telegram\. An OpenAI review of 36 articles on the institute's website found that 34 had been stolen from other sources\. The operation promoted a fake "sovereignty" index that rated Russia above the US and EU and falsely claimed that academics Noam Chomsky and Francis Fukuyama were experts\. The network operated Telegram channels, including one called American Observer, with audiences of 10,000 to 20,000 followers\. The campaign was exposed after one post used the phrase "the Svetofor coalition" to describe Germany's government, a term not used by native English speakers\.

## Sources

- [Story source](<https://huggingnews.com/ai/openai-disrupts-russian-chatgpt-psyop-posing-as-fake-israeli-think-tank-6752a9b3>)
- [Story source](<https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489822011118041>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489841451688232>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489888931184764>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2092489902793306174>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/TheHackersNews/status/2092547335742230786>)
- [Story source](<https://x.com/ZeffMax/status/2092333565279384041>)