Filtering out disinformation is not easy. However, when you have a deep understanding of how disinformation works and access to Sensika’s media monitoring system, it becomes possible. Sensika allows for a detailed analysis of disinformation, identifying the online media, social networks, print, TV, and radio channels spreading it. However, uncovering the real owner of a website is not always straightforward, as such information is often concealed. Still, some traces almost always remain—such as a contact phone number or email address listed on the site or used during domain registration.
This is where Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools come into play, helping to track down the true disseminators of disinformation.
One of the most powerful tools on the market is from OSINT.Industries.
OSINT.Industries has provided 100 free credits to the Disinformation Observatory, a joint initiative between the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) and Sensika Technologies.
An Example of How OSINT Can Be Used
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union sanctioned and blocked access to several Russian media outlets due to their propaganda, disinformation, and interference in European nations’ internal affairs. One such media outlet was news-front.ru. As early as 2017, reports linked the site to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), with its employees allegedly organizing anti-NATO protests in Bulgaria. This was revealed in a Dnevnik investigation from 2017.
Additionally, Bellingcat reported that individuals linked to the site were involved in an attempted coup in Montenegro.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury, in its announcement of sanctions against news-front.ru, also highlighted the site’s connections to the FSB.
How News-Front Evaded Sanctions
By 2023, news-front reappeared under a different domain. The Bulgarian version of the site resurfaced as bgr.news-front.su. Since then, it has been operating freely, despite the sanctions. But how can we be sure it is the same site?
Using WHOIS data, we see that this domain was registered in August 2023 with the email sinelin@yandex.ru from Moscow. The surname matches Mikhail Sinelin, one of the founders of the company ООО “МЕДИАГРУПП НЬЮСФРОНТ”, along with Konstantin Knyrik.
Searching for the email used in the registration, we found that a Yandex account was registered under the name:
- Name: Mikhail S.
- Username: sinelin
The same email was also used to register a Microsoft account, with the location set to Russia (RU).
This time, we were unable to find associated phone numbers or accounts on Viber and social media, but the available data is enough to conclude that Mikhail Sinelin, who is also on the sanctions list, has successfully bypassed the sanctions. As a result, news-front continues spreading disinformation.
Moreover, the site is part of a broader network still involved in organizing protests in Bulgaria. Sensika will soon provide a detailed analysis on this matter.
The Power of OSINT.Industries
After conducting numerous searches, we can conclude that OSINT.Industries offers powerful tools for extracting and analyzing publicly available data in real-time.
The platform enables information retrieval using phone numbers, emails, or usernames. Its intuitive interface makes it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
Used by law enforcement, journalists, analysts and corporate clients around the world, the platform collects information from over 200 publicly available sources, including social media, forums, professional networks, and public registries.
