Central African opposition demands probe after AI firm uncovers Russian-backed propaganda campaign
A Central African opposition platform called for an inquiry after Anthropic disclosed that its AI Claude was used by a Russian-linked actor to produce pro-Russian, anti-French and anti-opposition content.
The Bloc républicain pour la défense de la Constitution, a Central African opposition coalition, has requested a formal investigation after Anthropic revealed that its AI system Claude was exploited in a secret Russian-orchestrated influence campaign. Anthropic's September report said the Russian-speaking operator used Claude to insert pro-Russian, anti-French narratives and hostile messages toward opposition leaders into local media, and to monitor opposition personalities.
When the operator attempted to have Claude label real individuals as militants to trigger security actions, the AI refused, leading the actor to switch to anonymous sources. Anthropic deleted the related account and tied the operation to a Russian influence network linked to Wagner and Africa Corps. BRDC spokesperson Martin Ziguélé condemned the effort as a criminal attempt to silence dissent, noting President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s close ties with Moscow. No formal complaint has been confirmed.
Why it matters
The case highlights AI's misuse in foreign influence operations, endangering political stability in the Central African Republic.
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