Russia and Iran step up influence campaigns targeting US voters

By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY and ALI SWENSON, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s federal law enforcement and election security agencies are debunking two new examples of Russian election disinformation On the eve of Election Daystress initiatives of foreign actors Casting doubt on the voting process in the United States and warning that these efforts risk inciting violence against election officials.

One joint statement Late Monday, federal officials responded to a recent article published by Russian actors that falsely claimed that U.S. officials in swing states were hatching a plot to commit fraud, and an interview with a person who alleged election fraud in Arizona falsely portrayed He drew attention to a video in which

US intelligence reveals that Russia-linked influencers “produced videos and prepared fake articles to undermine the legitimacy of the elections, instill fear in voters about the electoral process, and suggest that Americans are using violence against each other because of their political preferences.” Statement issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “These efforts risk inciting violence, including against election officials.”

A Russian Embassy spokesman did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Federal officials have warned that Russia will likely release additional “manufactured content” on Election Day and pose the “most active threat” when it comes to foreign election influence. The statement also stated that Iran remains “a significant foreign influence threat to U.S. elections.”

The effort described by federal officials is part of a project Russia’s far-reaching influence operation It was designed to undermine confidence in the electoral process and sow discord among American voters. Intelligence agencies evaluated that Russia, which intervened in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections on behalf of Donald Trump, again preferred the Republican candidate and is likely to continue its influence operations after election day.

Along with manufactured videos aimed at promoting disinformation, US officials also accused Russian state media of a multimillion-dollar undercover operation. Spreading pro-Russian content to American audiences and seized dozens of web domains that they said promoted propaganda.

In their statement, officials also drew renewed attention to Iran’s attempts to interfere in the election, which included a hack-and-leak operation designed to harm Trump’s candidacy. The Ministry of Justice indicted three Iranian hackers for this purpose in September.

According to analysts at Microsoft, Iranian actors created fake news sites and impersonated online activists in an attempt to influence voters. The technology giant last month announced that Iranian actors Sent emails aimed at scaring US voters They are investigating election-related websites and major media outlets in 2020, raising concerns they may be preparing for another program this year.

While major technology companies and intelligence officials drew attention to foreign interference during this election period, Russia, China and Iran denied allegations that they were trying to interfere in the US elections.

The Arizona video, promoted on social media by Russian actors on Monday, purported to show an anonymous tipster exposing an election fraud plot. The Arizona State Department has already denied the content of the video, federal officials said.

Earlier this week, US officials confirmed the emergence of a video purporting to show voter fraud in two left-leaning counties in Georgia. was fake and the product of a Russian troll farm. And last month, they attributed to Russia Another fake video of a person tearing up ballots in what appears to be Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

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First Publication Date: November 4, 2024 22:27 EST

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