Russia has targeted unwitting Americans and is using commercial PR firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the US presidential race, Babel writes.
This was stated to the Associated Press by senior intelligence officials.
The warning comes after several tumultuous weeks in US politics that have forced Russia, Iran, and China to reconsider some of the details of their propaganda plans.
Russia continues to pose the biggest threat when it comes to disinformation during the election. Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly hiring marketing and communications firms based in Russia to outsource some of their digital propaganda work, while covering their tracks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing with journalists.
Two such firms were targeted by new US sanctions announced in March. They created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
The Russian disinformation focuses on presidential candidates, voting, and issues that are already the subject of debate in the United States: immigration, crime, or the war in Gaza. The ultimate goal is to get Americans to spread fake news without questioning its origin.
According to officials, people are much more likely to trust and repost information that they believe comes from a domestic source. To do this, Russia uses fake websites that mimic American media and social media profiles created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Russia and other countries have also been quick to capitalize on some of the recent developments in the presidential race, including the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
After the attack on Trump, for example, Russian disinformation outlets quickly spread claims that Democratic rhetoric led to the shooting, and even baseless conspiracy theories that Biden or the Ukrainian government organized the attack.
The main goal of Russian disinformation remains to undermine support for Ukraine, and Trump has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the past and is seen as less supportive of NATO, AP noted.
