There are two things that turn push me beyond being purely patriotic, and into jingoistic territory.

One is the US Space Program, especially NASA’s run up to the Space Shuttle Program. The US Space Program impact has given commercial space flight companies, a tax payer funded edge in bringing about consumer space travel.

The second is the US Olympics. Every four years, I stay up past red eye levels watching multiple TVs, phones, and tablets trying to catch every moment of Olympic Games magic.

Shading the backdrop of this year’s Parisian pageantry are of course…the Russians.

Russians Hating on the Olympics

Russian-affliliated actor, Storm-1679, produced a fake documentary movie titled, “Olympics Has Fallen,” that been making the Internet rounds. Olympics Has Fallen is a misinformation campaign aimed at spreading lies regarding this year’s Parisian Olympics. The movie has been making the rounds on the great thespian, streaming platform, Telegram; and is getting boosted on the typical conspiracy socials.

What’s worse is Storm-1679 is employing an AI-generated narration that sounds like Tom Cruise. The movies producers claimed to receive 5-star reviews from the New York Times, BBC, and the Washington Post. So called celebrities on Cameo have also endorsed the film.

Fortunately, the movie narrated by AI-Cruise faked all of its reviews and had many of its so-called proofs disproven. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center reported the movie’s received no such reviews and the producers have lied and made unverifiable claims.

Here are some of the claims the AI Tom Cruise has narrated about:

• A fake news story claimed Parisians are buying extra insurance because of terrorism.
• Another fake claim reports 24% of tickets to venues have been returned because of terrorism fears.
• The movie showed fake dispatches from the CIA, and French General Directorate for Internal Security telling Parisians to stay away from the games because of terrorism.

Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center has tracked the movie and its misinformation campaigns to actors affiliated with the Russian government. Storm-1679 and Storm-1099 are actor/activist groups that have used social media and news media to launch propaganda and misinformation campaigns that have been pro-Kremlin.

Russians Have a History of Aggravation

The Russian government and state-backed actors have attack the World Anti-Doping Agency after the 2016 doping incident in which Russian athletes were found taking performance enhancing drugs. Simone Biles’ confidential medical information was leaked online in that incident.

Cyberattacks have been reported on 16 international sports teams.

In 2018, the Russians tried to blame the Chinese and North Korean governments for disrupting the opening ceremonies for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Microsoft is urging cyber agencies to expect more attacks in the week’s leading up to the Olympics. Hopefully, sports teams, countries, and the IOC make all of the necessary precautions and install safeguards to prevent big disruptions.