Russia would have paid Barrabravas from Argentine soccer to hang anti-Ukraine flags

Within the framework of international research that exposed an organized disinformation network driven by Russia to influence Argentine politics, ramifications are beginning to emerge that go beyond the media level and extend to high-impact social spaces, such as football. One of the most significant episodes occurred on August 24, 2024, during a match between Huracán and Argentinos Juniors at the Independente stadium, where Barrabravas displayed a 20-by-2-meter flag with explicitly anti-Ukraine content, in which the name of the country appeared crossed out, accompanied by the slogan “Yes to football, no to war”. Far from being a spontaneous expression, the fact takes on another dimension in the light of the leaked documents: the disinformation network not only aimed at the administration of Javier Milei, but also sought to install an international agenda aligned with the interests of the Kremlin, particularly contrary

to Ukraine.

These types of demonstrations, in a global context marked by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, are part of a broader strategy that uses symbols, slogans and high-visibility spaces to influence public perception. Argentine football, due to its mass and ability to arrive, appears as a strategic terrain for amplifying messages that, under a neutral or pacifist appearance, can respond to a defined geopolitical logic. The revelations come in parallel with the confirmation that, since 2024, a structure linked to the Russian government has deployed a systematic campaign in Argentina with the objective of discrediting the ruling party. According to the documents analyzed, at least 250 paid articles were published in more than 20 digital media, with content critical to the Government's economic plan and foreign policy, including messages favorable to Russia and against the United States.

Among the media mentioned are C5N, Ámbito, Diario Con Vos, El Destape, Big Bang News, Diario Registrado, A24, Realpolitik, Argentine Politics, Tiempo Argentino, Grito del Sur, El Cronista, Infocielo and Data Clave, among others. The operation involved the use of false identities generated with artificial intelligence, non-existent journalists and digital profiles designed to give the appearance of legitimacy to the published content. One of the most sophisticated mechanisms detected was the creation of fictional journalists using artificial intelligence tools. Cases such as that of Manuel Godsin, presented as a doctor by the University of Bergen and a member of a supposed “Center for Political and Strategic Studies”, were completely denied. His image actually corresponded to a Russian citizen identified as Mikhail Malyarov, and had already been exposed in 2025 by the media outlet Africa Confidential as a “virtual profile” used to

spread pro-Russian disinformation.

A report by Code for Africa, based on an OpenAI report, confirmed that it was a “fictitious identity” created to “whitewash Russian narratives in conventional media”, using content generated with tools such as ChatGPT. The investigation also identified other false signatures used in Argentina, such as Gabriel Di Taranto, Juan Carlos López and Marcelo Lopreiatto, whose names appeared in articles published in different media. In the case of the Registered Journal, the leaked documents attribute the publication of 26 articles for a total of $28,600

.

Gabriel Di Taranto is listed as the author of at least 20 articles distributed in Diario Registrado, C5N and Ámbito. He was presented as a specialist with a master's degree in Political Communication from the National University of Avellaneda, an institution that denied its existence. Its image was generated using Nvidia software and reused in multiple digital profiles. For his part, Juan Carlos López is linked to nine articles, with a photograph from an image bank used in different identities on social networks. Meanwhile, Marcelo Lopreiatto signed 12 publications in C5N and Diario Registrado, using an image generated in 2019 as part of a promotional campaign

for portraits created with artificial intelligence.

The records also indicate that C5N published 17 articles within this scheme, with an estimated value of 32,500 dollars, of which 14 were signed by Lopreiatto and Di Taranto, evidencing a sustained flow of external funding. The scope of the operation was not limited to the media. In the case of Infobae, a particular situation was detected: Juan Pablo Piscetta, a member of the media's Internal Trade Commission and secretary of the Buenos Aires Press Union (SIPreba), was responsible for publishing content linked to this network. As it transpired, he published two articles funded by the Russian network, for which he would have received close

to 1000 dollars.

The incident generated strong discomfort within the editorial staff, since the media management was not aware of these maneuvers. After the confirmation, journalists launched a demand for his lawlessness and immediate dismissal, although his status as a union delegate grants him union privileges that hinder an immediate resolution. Faced with this scenario, President Javier Milei was forceful in describing the operation as “of an institutional gravity rarely seen in history”, and warned that many of the visible actors could be just “the tip of the iceberg” of a

much deeper network.

Far from being an isolated hypothesis, the Argentine Intelligence Secretariat itself had already detected these maneuvers and brought them to the attention of the Justice. In addition, the Government made progress at the beginning of 2026 with the amendment of the National Intelligence Act through a DNU, within the framework of a strategy to modernize the system and face new hybrid threats. The case raises questions about the possible participation —direct or indirect— of local actors in the amplification of these campaigns, and about the use of spaces such as football to consolidate covert political

narratives.

What is at stake is not only a media or sports scandal, but the integrity of the Argentine democratic system in the face of foreign influence operations. With its position, the Government leaves a clear message: there will be no room for impunity in the face of disinformation networks, illegal funding and political manipulation

.