FACT CHECK: Did The Atlantic Claim ‘Russians Have Infiltrated The Internet’?

A photo shared on Facebook allegedly shows an article from The Atlantic covering Russian infiltration operations on the internet.

Verdict: False

This image is digitally fabricated. The article does not appear in The Atlantic’s archives.

Fact Check:

Russia launched its biggest wave of missile attacks on Ukraine in over a month Nov. 15, with two rockets, allegedly fired by Ukraine, landing in Poland, CNN reported. Russian Citizens have reportedly been kept in the dark about certain topics, including the status of the war, due to government censorship of the internet, BBC reported.

The Facebook post allegedly shows an article from The Atlantic claiming unnamed intelligence agencies found Russian infiltration on the internet. The article does not have an author attributed to it, but the poster has watermarked the image with their own name.

“Russians Have Infiltrated the Internet,” the title reads. (RELATED: Did The Atlantic Publish This Article About Hunter Biden?)

The article is digitally fabricated. A search for the headline yields no results. Likewise, the alleged article cannot be found on The Atlantic’s archive or verified Twitter, Facebook or Instagram accounts. 

Russia reportedly reactivated troll and bot farms ahead of the 2022 midterm elections in an effort to influence voters and stir rhetoric, according to The New York Times. However, the article does not classify the operation as an “infiltration.”

Check Your Fact has reached out to The Atlantic for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received. 

This is not the first time outlets have been victim to illegitimate headlines. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim The New York Times named President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “the most unpopular duo.”