Russia now blamed in Catalonia crisis and interference in US elections

At a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers on Monday, Spain raised the issue of “disinformation and manipulation” emanating from Russia during the Catalan independence crisis.

Madrid had said on Friday it was concerned by Russian social media activity on Catalonia, after misleading reports and images shared widely online helped fuel the standoff triggered by the banned October 1 independence referendum.

There have also been accusations of Russian involvement in the election of US President Donald Trump and in the campaign ahead of Britain’s Brexit vote.

“I will raise the question of how misinformation and manipulation around the referendum and subsequent events in Catalonia have developed,” Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said.