Who is he ?
Belarusian businessman, reputed to be close to the autocrat Alexander Lukashenko, Alexander Zingman has been very active in Africa for two decades, and more particularly in Zimbabwe, where he is honorary consul. He was one of the architects of a series of commercial agreements that directly benefited the son of Alexander Lukashenko.
Operating mode
At the beginning of summer 2020, fake Facebook and Twitter accounts belonging to the AIMS network were used to publish a series of messages, in Russian and English, extolling the talent of Alexander Zingman as a businessman. Messages highlight the success of electric buses he produces, or thank him for bringing humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe after Cyclone Idai hit in 2019. A parallel campaign violently attacks a another Belarusian national: Vitali Fishman, also close to the Lukashenko regime. The two men, suspected of being linked to arms trafficking in Africa, were at the time in the midst of a conflict.
Efficiency
Difficult to estimate. In 2021, Mr. Zingman will be briefly detained in the Democratic Republic of Congo on suspicion of arms trafficking, then released without any charges being brought against him. AIMS were probably not the only tool used in this conflict. In January 2022, Mr. Fishman had filed a complaint against X in the United States, claiming to be the target of a vast online defamation campaign. The social media sites and accounts mentioned in the complaint are directly linked to Team Jorge’s fake account architecture.
Suspects
The fact that the same network touted the merits of Alexander Zingman while attacking one of his rivals makes it a likely sponsor. Both Mr. Fishman and Mr. Zingman have long-standing connections in ultra-conservative Israeli circles and the cyber industry. Asked, Mr. Zingman denies having ever used a service for false accounts or false information, and explains that he himself has been the target of several disinformation campaigns.
