Catalan crisis: did Russian hackers fuel separatism?

Fake social media accounts allegedly spread propaganda to stoke Spanish independence row

Catalonia Parliament
Catalonians celebrated after the region’s parliament declared independence from Spain on 27 October
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Spain’s struggle with Catalan separatists may have been exacerbated by Russian hackers engaged in a propaganda effort to divide Europe, it was reported yesterday.

The Spanish government-backed Elcano Royal Institute, in Madrid, says that unidentified Russian “troll” accounts spread inflamatory messages and claims - some true, some false - on social media in the run-up to the 1 October independence referendum.

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