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Russia plans information campaigns to sow division in the U.S. society and undermine support for Ukraine in swing states during the upcoming presidential race, American intelligence officials told journalists on July 9.
When asked whether Moscow seeks to boost a specific candidate, an official of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said that they have “have not observed a shift in Russia’s preferences for the presidential race from past elections, given the role the U.S. is playing with regard to Ukraine and broader policy toward Russia.”
Russia has been accused of using social media disinformation, bot farms, and other means to back Donald Trump against his Democratic opponents – Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden – during the 2016 and 2020 elections.
President Biden is most likely going to face Trump again in the November vote.
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WTF is wrong with Russia?
“We are beginning to see Russia target specific voter demographics, promote divisive narratives, and denigrate specific politicians,” the ONDI official said.
Moscow is “undertaking a whole-of-government approach to influence the election, including the presidential race, Congress and public opinion,” the official added.
“To accomplish this, Moscow is using a variety of approaches to bolster its messaging and lend an air of authenticity to its efforts. This includes outsourcing its efforts to commercial firms to hide its hand and laundering narratives through influential U.S. voices.”
The U.S. Justice Department announced on July 9 that it had uncovered close to 1,000 accounts on X linked to a Russian bot farm disseminating disinformation in the country.
The result of the election could have a profound impact on Ukraine as it faces Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The Biden administration positioned the U.S. as the leading force in the pro-Kyiv coalition, albeit attracting some criticism from allies over the president’s incremental approach to providing weapons and restrictions on the use of American arms.
While Trump criticized the aid for Kyiv in the past, he has been evasive in public regarding his stances toward Ukraine as the election drew near.
The former president repeatedly promised to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine within 24 hours, with several media reports suggesting this could involve blocking Ukraine’s NATO accession or forcing the country to cede territory to Russia.