US sanctions Russia’s RT media chiefs over 2024 ‘election meddling’
Putin and his proxies are targeting specific groups of voters and those in battleground states, says Washington
04 September 2024 - 20:26
bySarah N Lynch and Andrew Goudsward
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Washington — The US on Wednesday sanctioned the editor of Russian state media network RT and nine others over what it said were efforts to meddle in the 2024 presidential election.
The treasury department said RT’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, and others affiliated with the network covertly recruited social media influencers to sway US public opinion and spread pro-Kremlin messages.
The FBI separately sought court permission to seize 32 internet domains the US government said were involved in “malign foreign influence” efforts, including attempts to undermine public support for US aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The news came shortly before attorney-general Merrick Garland is due to speak at a meeting of the justice departments Election Threats Task Force.
A Russian legislator called the reported accusations “pure rubbish” and said Moscow did not think it mattered whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris won the November 5 election.
“The only winner of the US election is the US private military industrial complex,” Duma deputy Maria Butina said.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Moscow has repeatedly said it has not meddled in the US election.
RT responded with ridicule. “Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections,” the media outlet said.
The justice department has previously warned that Russia remains a threat to the presidential election. US officials have said Russia has not shifted its preference from previous American presidential elections, indicating Moscow favours Trump.
US intelligence assessments found that Moscow tried to help Trump in 2016, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, and in 2020 when he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Moscow has denied the allegations.
Lisa Monaco, the justice department’s second-in-command, said last month that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proxies had adopted more sophisticated techniques, targeting specific groups of voters and those in battleground states.
In July, the department said it disrupted a Russian social media campaign with links to RT that covertly spread pro-Kremlin messages.
The FBI last month searched the homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media, including former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter and Dimitri Simes, an adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The US government has also accused Iran of attempting to influence the upcoming election through cyber operations against both the Trump and Harris campaigns. The Trump campaign has said Iran was behind the leak of internal campaign documents to US media outlets.
US intelligence agencies have assessed that China is not planning to intervene in the presidential race to favour one candidate. But Reuters reported on Tuesday that a social media operation linked to Beijing is impersonating US voters, denigrating US politicians and pushing divisive messages ahead of the election.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
US sanctions Russia’s RT media chiefs over 2024 ‘election meddling’
Putin and his proxies are targeting specific groups of voters and those in battleground states, says Washington
Washington — The US on Wednesday sanctioned the editor of Russian state media network RT and nine others over what it said were efforts to meddle in the 2024 presidential election.
The treasury department said RT’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, and others affiliated with the network covertly recruited social media influencers to sway US public opinion and spread pro-Kremlin messages.
The FBI separately sought court permission to seize 32 internet domains the US government said were involved in “malign foreign influence” efforts, including attempts to undermine public support for US aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The news came shortly before attorney-general Merrick Garland is due to speak at a meeting of the justice departments Election Threats Task Force.
A Russian legislator called the reported accusations “pure rubbish” and said Moscow did not think it mattered whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris won the November 5 election.
“The only winner of the US election is the US private military industrial complex,” Duma deputy Maria Butina said.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Moscow has repeatedly said it has not meddled in the US election.
RT responded with ridicule. “Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections,” the media outlet said.
The justice department has previously warned that Russia remains a threat to the presidential election. US officials have said Russia has not shifted its preference from previous American presidential elections, indicating Moscow favours Trump.
US intelligence assessments found that Moscow tried to help Trump in 2016, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, and in 2020 when he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Moscow has denied the allegations.
Lisa Monaco, the justice department’s second-in-command, said last month that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proxies had adopted more sophisticated techniques, targeting specific groups of voters and those in battleground states.
In July, the department said it disrupted a Russian social media campaign with links to RT that covertly spread pro-Kremlin messages.
The FBI last month searched the homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media, including former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter and Dimitri Simes, an adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The US government has also accused Iran of attempting to influence the upcoming election through cyber operations against both the Trump and Harris campaigns. The Trump campaign has said Iran was behind the leak of internal campaign documents to US media outlets.
US intelligence agencies have assessed that China is not planning to intervene in the presidential race to favour one candidate. But Reuters reported on Tuesday that a social media operation linked to Beijing is impersonating US voters, denigrating US politicians and pushing divisive messages ahead of the election.
Reuters
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