Russia is not alone in using influence to spread disinformation — many countries pursue such actions internally, and a number, like Russia and Iran, attempt to sow discord in other nations. Read the following (very short) article on state sponsored influence operations:
https://www.recode.net/2017/11/14/16640300/inter...
Next up: Expertise and reputation
How China used Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to spread disinformation about the Hong Kong protests