In a sweeping crackdown, US agencies have indicted key Russian media operatives and imposed sanctions to counter Moscow’s escalating efforts to influence the 2024 elections, marking an intensified defence of American democracy against foreign interference.
The United States government has raised concern over Russia’s suspected attempts to meddle in American elections, particularly ahead of the 2024 US presidential race.
Russian disinformation efforts, hacking, and covert operations have been linked to Moscow’s strategic goal of undermining American democracy, manipulating public opinion, and promoting politicians who share its interests.
Recent actions by the US Treasury Department, Justice Department, and intelligence agencies have increased attention of Russian state actors, particularly the media outlet RT (Russia Today), which has been accused of playing a significant role in these activities.
Involvement of RT:
RT was founded in 2005 as a state-run media organization in Russia and has played a significant role in disseminating Kremlin-endorsed stories across international borders.
Its broadcasts in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic have attempted to improve Russia’s standing internationally while adopting a combative approach towards Western policy.
The US accuses RT as being a foreign propaganda tool, with Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan frequently espousing anti-Western sentiments and advancing the Kremlin’s goal.
Simonyan “has close ties to top Russian Government officials” and has stated publicly that “the Russian Government sets rating and viewership requirements for RT and, ‘since RT receives budget from the state, it must complete tasks given by the state,’” according to an ODNI report released publicly in 2017 following Russia’s efforts in the 2016 US election.
A US Justice Department indictment stated that RT reportedly supported a Tennessee-based multimedia company that produced films aligned with Russia’s political interests, notably on matters such as Ukraine. This effort led to the publication of nearly 2,000 videos on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, garnering over 16 million views.
Allegations on RT for influencing American Opinion:
The US Justice Department recently charged two RT workers, Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, with covertly supporting pro-Russian media operations in the US.
These individuals allegedly channeled nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based firm with the intention of influencing American public opinion without disclosing their ties to RT.
The media company in question, Tenet Media, engaged well-known conservative commentators such as Tim Pool and Benny Johnson to promote content aimed at bolstering Russia’s interests, particularly in Ukraine.
Russia’s tactics against the US:
Beyond media manipulation, Russian meddling in US elections uses a range of strategies, such as hacking attempts and cyberattacks.
The pro-Russian hacktivist group RaHDIt, led by former members of Russian intelligence, has been involved in numerous operations against American and Ukrainian targets. The group is known for hack-and-leak operations and has been linked to the Kremlin’s intelligence apparatus.
In March, the US Treasury imposed penalties on two Russian corporations accused of creating fake news websites and social media accounts to propagate Kremlin disinformation. US Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that Russia, along with other foreign actors such as Iran and China, is a continuing threat to US election security.
“We will have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic systems of government,” Garland said.
The US Justice Department’s recent indictments and sanctions against Russian media figures are the most comprehensive effort to confront Moscow’s malign influence to date.
“The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,” Garland added, affirming that the US government would remain vigilant in protecting the integrity of its democratic institutions.
In order to prevent additional intervention, the US government has imposed visa restrictions on people associated with Russian state-backed media outlets, requiring them to register as foreign agents.
The US State Department has also designated RT and other Russian firms, such as RIA Novosti and Sputnik, as foreign missions, requiring them to declare their US operations.
