Russian misinformation campaign went into high gear after attacks on Syrian WMD facilities

Daily Mail:
The US has ridiculed Russia's claim that Syrian fighters shot down 71 of the 105 missiles fired in the Damascus airstrikes and described the falsehood as the start of a 'disinformation campaign'.

Since the US, UK and France pummeled three targets on Friday night, Russian troll activity has surged by 2,000 percent, according to the Pentagon.

It is a sign of Moscow's attempt to try to cover up how successful the coordinated attack was and support the Assad regime.

Before the US confirmed on Saturday that none of its missiles were compromised and none of the aircraft interfered with, Russian officials made the claim that only 30 landed on their targets.

Russia's Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said the hail of missiles did little damage, claiming Syrian fighters, using the 30-year-old missile defense systems Russia had given them, were able to bring them down.

He credited 'the high effectiveness of the weaponry in Syria and the excellent training of Syrian servicemen prepared by our specialists”'

Dana White, the Chief Pentagon Spokesperson, and Joint Staff Director Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie laughed off the claim on Saturday.

'I can't help you with what the Syrians are saying but I what I am telling you is what actually happened,' the General said.

White said the lie was the start of a now well-known troll campaign to spread false information.

'The disinformation campaign has already begun.

'There has been a 2,000 (percent)increase in Russian troll activity in the last 24 hours,' she said.
...
The Russian bots appear to have lost their sting as they are quickly discounted.  The Russian responses to the charges of using WMD have become incoherent.  They argue that they did not happen or that the British were behind a false flag operation and it was behind the WMD attack.  Neither story is credible. 

The Russians first mistake was in not saying that such attacks are wrong and unacceptable.  With such a statement they may have been able to broker a deal to stop Assad.  Instead, they escalated with false statements which hardened the opposition to Assad's actions.

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