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Bulgarian Telegram Data and Narratives Visual Guide, 16-22 October 2026

This automated Telegram data report accompanies our current Presidential Election Observatory. It covers Bulgarian-language Telegram channels and chats, offering data slices, visuals and network maps. Election-related stories and candidate mentions have their own section.

Read the latest Presidential Election Observatory analysis.

Written by

Published

Overview

Stories and copy+paste
Stories group messages about the same event or narrative. Copy+paste means the same text posted by two or more independent sources.
Source names
Chat users appear only as anonymised codes. Public channels are named.

France, in translation. The largest new story, France's riots blamed on immigration, drew 2.5% of engagement from 1.7% of posts; 85% of its views came through the dissemination networks, and three of its copied messages were laundered from Russian channels.

Bulgarian-language content from Telegram channels and chats spanning 16 October to 22 October · Report 3, compared with the last report (12 October to 16 October)

19,353
Bulgarian Telegram posts
+7.2% a day vs the last report (2,934 vs 2,736)
184
stories
26 continuing · 158 new
9.9%
of posts are copy+paste
last report: 7.5%
90.6%
of copy+paste posts are spread by the dissemination networks
last report: 83.0%
222,578
views on channel posts
2,604
shares (forwards)
10,619 emoji reactions

What Changed Since the Last Report

Largest story: Russian strikes leave Kyiv short of power as Zelensky and Trump trade statements.18.6% copy+paste · 4.0% of views · 4.3% of engagement👍🤬😁👏🤣Biggest rise: Putin and US envoy Witkoff hold long talks on a Ukraine peace process.23.1% copy+paste · 2.1% of views · 2.3% of engagement👍👏🤔😁❤️Largest new story: On Telegram, the riots and curfews in France are blamed on immigration.20.5% copy+paste · 2.2% of views · 2.5% of engagement👍😁👏🔥❤️

Largest Stories

Top 5 by share of posts. Bar = share of all posts; dark = level in the last report; white line = copy+paste; dotted line = share of views; dot = share of engagement (views 50%, shares 30%, reactions 20%).
Russian strikes leave Kyiv short of power as Zelensky and Trump trade statements.
2.3% · 18.6%4.0%4.3%
On Telegram, the riots and curfews in France are blamed on immigration.New
1.7% · 20.5%2.2%2.5%
Putin and US envoy Witkoff hold long talks on a Ukraine peace process.
1.5% · 23.1%2.1%2.3%
Iran warns ships in the Strait of Hormuz after a tanker is hit nearby.
1.0% · 13.2%1.4%1.5%
Bulgaria argues over who sent the drones that hit ships off its coast.
0.8% · 28.1%0.7%0.8%

The election

Bulgarian presidential election
2.2% · 32.5%1.5%1.7%

Dissemination Networks

What is a dissemination network?
A group of channels and chats that repeatedly posts the same copy+paste messages: at least three shared messages across two or more stories.

G1 publishes a third of channel posts but draws 52% of views and 68% of shares. Two of six dissemination networks are new.

6
dissemination networks
2 new · 1 not active · last report: 5
49.9%
of channel posts come from the dissemination networks
66.1%
of engagement goes to the dissemination networks

G1 · InfoDefenseBULGARIA

12 sources · 704 copy+paste postings · 350 messages · 82 stories

41% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: 36%

▫ 📱 🗣 💶 🏴‍☠ 🟥 ▪ ‼

InfoDefenseBULGARIA · ПОСВЕТЕНИТЕZ · Квизац Хадерах · Владя Бацова. НОВ СВЕТОВЕН РЕД · MediaMall.info · BG Via chat Chat +6 more

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • Italy sends 500 soldiers to Milan after riots during strikes and protests. (60%)
  • Iran warns ships in the Strait of Hormuz after a tanker is hit nearby. (68%)
  • The Houthis press on in Yemen as Saudi Arabia and the UAE back government forces. (92%)
  • Netanyahu warns of Iranian missiles as Trump backs him before Israel's election. (68%)

G3 · The awakened people Chat

10 sources · 309 copy+paste postings · 100 messages · 64 stories

18% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: 32%

☎ 🪣 ⤵ 👎 👍 😜 ☀ 🔗

The awakened people Chat · Единни за България Chat · WAKE UP! Chat · ЧИСТОКРЪВНИТЕ тоест НЕваксинираните - ХОРАТА С ЧИСТА КРЪВ Chat · А.Н.Т.И. С.М.Р.А.Д Chat · Възрожденци зад граница (чат) Chat +4 more

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • Kostadinov campaigns for president on neutrality toward Russia and Ukraine. (77%)
  • Yotova is attacked over pardons for drug dealers as Gurov steps up his campaign. (51%)
  • A post claims a deep-sea camera at the Varna naval base found 'interesting' results on the sunk ship. (56%)
  • A post quotes Le Bon's 'Psychology of Crowds' to argue the majority refuses to admit the truth. (100%)

G5 · DruschbaFM - България

5 sources · 225 copy+paste postings · 68 messages · 31 stories

13% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: 13%

🔹 ⁉ 🎙 🔻 🔴 💬 🟥

DruschbaFM - България · ПП ВЪЗРАЖДАНЕ НА ОТЕЧЕСТВОТО Chat · ZOV.България · Budnaera · efir.info

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • Bulgaria argues over who sent the drones that hit ships off its coast. (72%)
  • Patriarch Bartholomew's visit to Bulgaria draws both praise and accusations of heresy on Telegram. (70%)
  • A video interview points to a British trail behind the attacks on ships off Bulgaria. (88%)
  • Patriarch Daniil makes his first visit to Mount Athos as head of the Bulgarian Church. (71%)

G4 · ЗаЕдно...в конспирациите Chat

22 sources · 321 copy+paste postings · 127 messages · 78 stories

19% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: 11%

🤔 📞 📍 🎯 👆 ✨ ❤ ❌

ЗаЕдно...в конспирациите Chat · НИЕ - наРОД ИСТИНА ЕДИНеНие Chat · 🕊 ВЕЧНА БЪЛГАРИЯ 🕊 + 🗣 войс-чат Chat · АндромедА · Валкирия Chat · World Wide Freedom Fighters - Bulgaria Chat +16 more

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • A call for candidates 'free of party brainwashing' circulates in the name of peace and people's rule. (92%)
  • A post praises the memoirs of Soviet marshals Zhukov and Rokossovsky. (100%)
  • A flat-earth post claims pilots and aircraft engineers confirm the Earth is flat. (70%)
  • Candidates make their case on talk shows ahead of the 25 October vote. (88%)

G7 · Важна Информация по Света и у нас Chat

4 sources · 88 copy+paste postings · 44 messages · 27 stories

5% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: new network

➖ ▪

Важна Информация по Света и у нас Chat · Bulgarian Military Union "Vasil Levski" · Svetla Mateva- канал · НИБИРУ

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • A 'natural treatment' guide is pushed across chats alongside attacks on Yotova and the parties. (83%)
  • Telegram posts claim Western Europe is collapsing under migration and Islam. (60%)

G6 · България на референдумите Chat

5 sources · 82 copy+paste postings · 50 messages · 32 stories

5% of all network copy+paste postings; report 2: new network

🙂 😂 ‼ 📱

България на референдумите Chat · Кратки новини · Голямото 🗣 Пробуждане Chat · Rosen Nachev · Big 😉 Brother

Carries most copy+paste messages of

  • A post argues that inflation and subscriptions mean people no longer own their capital. (67%)
  • A post reads the IMF and World Bank meeting as a sign of looming collapse. (83%)
  • A Bertelsmann poll finds most EU citizens oppose Ukraine joining the EU soon. (83%)

Not active this week

  • G2 - 🕊 ВЕЧНА БЪЛГАРИЯ 🕊 + 🗣 войс-чат Chat (3 members in report 2)

They no longer shared at least 3 copy+paste messages across 2 or more stories with the same members, so they are not shown. They keep their numbers if they return.

New since report 2: G7, G6.

Engagement by Network

Each network's share of channel posts, early views, shares and emoji reactions. Measured once when each post was collected (median 5 views per post). Chat posts are excluded.
Network
G1 - InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Posts
33%
Views
52%
Shares
68%
Reactions
29%
Median views
24
Network
G7 - Важна Информация по Света и у нас Chat
Posts
2%
Views
5%
Shares
3%
Reactions
3%
Median views
11
Network
G4 - ЗаЕдно...в конспирациите Chat
Posts
4%
Views
4%
Shares
6%
Reactions
6%
Median views
10
Network
G5 - DruschbaFM - България
Posts
9%
Views
3%
Shares
2%
Reactions
4%
Median views
2
Network
G6 - България на референдумите Chat
Posts
2%
Views
1%
Shares
3%
Reactions
0%
Median views
5
Network
G3 - The awakened people Chat
Posts
0%
Views
0%
Shares
1%
Reactions
0%
Median views
9.5

Channels outside the networks: 50% of posts, 35% of views, 16% of shares and 57% of reactions.

Outsized Influence

Channels whose early engagement is far larger than their number of posts would suggest. Influence = the pipeline's outsized-reach score.
Channel
Bulgarian Military Union "Vasil Levski"
Network
G7
Posts
86
Views
9,901
Shares
66
Reactions
254
Influence
5.1×
Channel
Za ПраVдa
Network
G1
Posts
123
Views
12,398
Shares
29
Reactions
427
Influence
4.1×
Channel
FOOTZONE BG
Network
outside groups
Posts
94
Views
10,973
Shares
5
Reactions
133
Influence
3.8×
Channel
"Z" Zone-Диванни войски. Трета Световна Война 🔥
Network
outside groups
Posts
285
Views
13,065
Shares
29
Reactions
957
Influence
2.3×
Channel
InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Network
G1
Posts
521
Views
23,829
Shares
118
Reactions
1,000
Influence
2.1×

Message Laundering

What is message laundering?
A copied message is marked as laundered when its first posting cites a source but later postings drop or replace that source.

InfoDefenseBULGARIA is the first post for 88% of laundered messages; 92.6% of them start outside Bulgaria.

18.8%
of copy+paste messages are laundered
last report: 20.4%
92.6%
of them start outside Bulgaria
last report: 96.7%
2.4%
of posts carry Russian fragments
last report: 2.7%

Where Laundered Messages Come From

The two largest first citing channels and their top original sources, by share of laundered messages. Bar = share of laundered messages; dark = level in the last report; purple = presidential election; dotted line = share of views; dot = share of engagement.
InfoDefenseBULGARIARelay
87.7%89.0%86.6%
↳ @don_partizan · Russian
8.2%6.1%4.0%
↳ @L0HMATIY · Russian
7.4%6.7%6.3%
↳ @MaksLifeOff · Russian
5.7%7.1%5.1%
↳ @banksta · Russian
4.9%5.8%6.1%
↳ @OstashkoNews · RussianNew
4.9%5.7%5.8%

↳ 32 more sources

Квизац ХадерахNew
7.4%9.7%11.9%
↳ share.google · unknownNew
2.5%1.9%1.8%
↳ @svezhesti · Russian
1.6%1.8%4.1%

↳ 4 more sources

Other first citing channels (6)
4.9%1.3%1.5%

Most Copied Laundered Messages

Top 5 by posts. Every message here is new this week; the source column shows whether its original source was already laundered in the last report.
Message
M0041
Text
❗️Подборка от унищожена техника на противника от 3-ти армейски корпус "Азов". На кадрите е показана съвместната работа на силите на ГВ "Запад" на рубцовското и краснолиманското направления. Победата ще бъде наша! https:/
Posts
6
Original source
@Secrets_of_Vinakosnon-BulgarianNew
First citing
InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Views
2.5%
Engagement
2.5%
Message
M0044
Text
Емил Йотовски 19.10.2026 Тази жена вече сте я виждали. Знаете за отчаяния и неуспешен опит да си спаси магазина от мигрантските скакалци, възползващи се от бунтовете. Чухте твърденията ѝ, че била на тяхна страна. Гласува
Posts
6
Original source
facebook.com
First citing
Единни за България Chat
Views
0.2%
Engagement
0.1%
Message
M0063
Text
„ЕС се свлича към ада“: словашки депутат е възмутен от лозунга „Слава на Украйна“ върху монети от евро Любош Блага остро критикува поставянето на украинския лозунг върху юбилейна монета от 2 евро. Той го нарече „фашистки
Posts
5
Original source
@svezhestinon-Bulgarian
First citing
InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Views
0.5%
Engagement
0.7%
Message
M0069
Text
«Луи XVI беше обезглавен! Макрон, Макрон, ние ще го повторим!» Протестиращите маршируват по улиците на Париж с този лозунг. Те настояват за оставката на френския президент. Днес в акциите в цялата страна участват ученици
Posts
5
Original source
@Zerkalo_NewZnon-Bulgarian
First citing
InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Views
1.2%
Engagement
1.5%
Message
M0102
Text
Магазините за хранителни стоки в южна Италия се превърнаха за четири дни от обикновени търговски обекти в места, където практически нищо не остана на рафтовете. Това, което започна като протести срещу цените на дизеловот
Posts
4
Original source
@infantmilitarionon-Bulgarian
First citing
InfoDefenseBULGARIA
Views
0.8%
Engagement
0.5%

Bulgarian Elections

What do candidate mentions mean?
Candidate mentions measure attention and amplification. They do not indicate support or attack.

Kostadinov rose from 20% to 29% of candidate mentions; half were copypasta, 61% of it from one dissemination network of chats.

7
election stories
3 continuing · 4 new
2.2%
of all posts
last report: 2.4%
32.5%
copy+paste
last report: 42.3%

Attention by Candidate Pair

Top 5 pairs by share of mentions. Bar = share of all candidate mentions; dark = level in the last report; white line = copy+paste; dotted line = share of views; dot = share of engagement. Mentions measure attention and amplification, not support.
Илияна Йотова / Кирил Вълчев
22.0% · 35.9%24.1%20.5%
Костадин Костадинов / Петър Волгин
28.6% · 49.3%9.2%8.9%
Андрей Гюров / Георги Кандев
14.1% · 38.2%17.7%14.3%
Ивелин Михайлов / Юлияна Матеева
4.6% · 0.0%21.0%23.5%
Румяна Ченалова / Георги Георгиев
7.7% · 81.1%7.5%7.7%

Election Stories

Top 5 by share of posts. Bar = share of all posts; dark = level in the last report; white line = copy+paste; dotted line = share of views; dot = share of engagement (views 50%, shares 30%, reactions 20%).
Yotova is attacked over pardons for drug dealers as Gurov steps up his campaign.
0.5% · 38.1%0.3%0.2%
Kostadinov campaigns for president on neutrality toward Russia and Ukraine.
0.5% · 72.9%0.1%0.1%
Candidates make their case on talk shows ahead of the 25 October vote.
0.2% · 24.2%0.3%0.3%
A post reads Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's visit to Sofia as a sign the wind is blowing from the East.New
0.0% · 100.0%0.0%0.1%
Dimitar Gigov marks St John of Rila's day with a message on the crisis in the EU and Bulgaria.New
0.0% · 100.0%0.0%0.0%
For research and media

Cite this report

Choose a format and copy the ready-to-use citation.

Identrics (2026, October 23). Bulgarian Telegram Data and Narratives Visual Guide, 16-22 October 2026. Identrics. https://identrics.ai/sitreps/telegram-sitrep-16-22-october-2026

About the author

IE

Identrics Editorial Team

Editorial team, Identrics

Reporting by the Identrics editorial team - covering company news, partnerships, conferences, and joint research.

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