The United States on Wednesday took a series of actions against Russia in response to what it described as extensive efforts to meddle in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
The U.S. Justice Department said Russia has used state-run media, unwitting influences and websites masquerading as prominent American news sites to spread disinformation and sway American voters ahead of the vote in November.
“The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempt to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters on Wednesday.
“That is what we allege happened in this case.”
In one step announced Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against two employees of RT, a Russian state-run media organization. An indictment said Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, directed a Tennessee-based content creation company to spread pro-Russia propaganda and erode support for Ukraine.
U.S.-based influencers were recruited to help with the nearly $10-million campaign. They did not know about Russia’s involvement, Garland said.
Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva remain at large.
U.S. to seize web domains
In another action announced Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department said it would seize 32 web domains it said Russian President Vladimir Putin used to covertly influence American elections.
The attorney general said the websites were designed to mimic major American news sites, like The Washington Post or Fox News.
“[The sites] were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and influence voters in the United States and other countries,” Garland said.
“An internal document of the Kremlin described the content as, quote, ‘Bogus stories disguised as newsworthy events.’ “
Garland said Putin’s “inner circle” had directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation to help sway the American vote. He said those firms also recruited American influencers, who were again in the dark about the Russian connection.
“An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is securing Russia’s preferred outcome in the election,” Garland said.
Russia, RT refute allegations
A Russian lawmaker called the reported accusations again “pure rubbish” and said Moscow does not think it matters whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris wins the Nov. 5 election.
“The only winner of the U.S. election is the U.S. private military industrial complex,” State Duma deputy Maria Butina told Reuters.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Moscow has repeatedly said it has not meddled in the U.S. election.
Day 69:06The US Justice department vs the Russian propaganda machine
This week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it disrupted a series of fake social media accounts that were pretending to be American citizens, while actually promoting Russian propaganda. We speak to John Scott-Railton, a researcher focusing on spyware and disinformation, about the dangers of A.I. being used as a tool for foreign interference.
RT responded with ridicule. “Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections,” the media outlet told Reuters.
RT was dropped by American distributors after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Canada banned RT’s broadcasting that March.
Ongoing threat to U.S. election
The Justice Department has previously warned Russia is still a key threat to American elections. U.S. officials have said Russia has not changed preference since previous American presidential elections, indicating Moscow favours Trump.
U.S. intelligence assessments found Russia tried to help Trump in 2016 and 2020. The nation has denied the allegations.
Garland also accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to influence the upcoming election through cyber operations against the campaigns of Trump and Harris. The Trump campaign has said Iran was responsible for recently leaking internal campaign documents to U.S. news outlets.
