Authorities sanction, indict and seize website domains as Washington accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 US elections
\n Washington
\nThe United States has announced a range of actions to combat Russian influence in the November 2024 presidential election, as the Biden administration tries to prevent outsiders from swaying votes.
\nTwo employees of Russian state media, Russia Today (RT), were indicted, dozens of internet domains were seized for \u201cmalign influence campaigns\u201d and a new visa restriction policy was introduced as part of the efforts to check foreign influence.
\nLet\u2019s take a look at what we know so far:
\nWhat did the government do?
\nThe US Justice Department, State Department and the Treasury were involved in one of the largest coordinated government efforts against foreign influence based on research by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
\nAccording to an indictment unsealed by the Justice Department on Wednesday, two senior employees of the state-funded RT used shell companies and fake identities to pay $10m to a Tennessee-based media operation to create content benefitting Russia.
\nUS Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters that the operation involved millions of followers and never disclosed that it was being directed by Moscow while falsely claiming it was being funded by a private investor.
\nThe Russia-based defendants, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, have been charged with conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
\nThe US-based targeted media operation was Tenet Media, which contracts a network of pro-Trump American influencers who publish right-wing content. Neither Tenet Media nor the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, were named in the indictment but could be easily matched with the descriptions provided.
\nAccording to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Treasury, sanctions were imposed on a total of 10 individuals and two entities.
\nIt said the designations complement the State Department\u2019s blacklisting of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and five of its subsidiaries, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, as \u201cForeign Missions\u201d.
\nThe State Department has also imposed visa restrictions on the designated individuals and offered a reward of up to $10m for information pertaining to foreign interference in the US election.
\nThe Justice Department separately announced the seizure of 32 internet domains \u201cused in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns\u201d.
\nWhat are US officials and media personalities saying?
\nThe State Department and the White House have asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been guiding some of the influence operations.
\n\u201cWe believe Mr Putin is weighing in on these actions,\u201d National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
\nAccording to the US attorney general, the company that was allegedly set up by Russia in Tennessee published hundreds of videos with \u201ccommentary on events and issues in the United States, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy\u201d.
\n\u201cThe American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country\u2019s free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,\u201d Garland said, adding that the US judicial system is sending a message that it has \u201cno tolerance\u201d for foreign influence operations.
\nThe Tennessee-based operation used a network of media personalities that included Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern and Benny Johnson, who have a combined following of tens of millions on their social media pages.
\nSeveral influencers took to social media to say they had no knowledge of any Russian ties with the outlet that contracted them for content, and that they were \u201cvictims\u201d of the alleged scheme.
\n\u201cMy lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise,\u201d 37-year-old right-wing commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson wrote in a post on X, threatening against any accusation of him of working with Russia.
\nWhat is the Russian side saying?
\nThe Kremlin has consistently denied allegations that it is actively interfering with US elections, with official comments at times trying to portray that Moscow may actually prefer a Kamala Harris presidency.
\nSpeaking on Thursday, the Russian president offered sarcastic remarks on the Democratic nominee amid allegations that he prefers Republicans in the White House. Putin said Biden had \u201crecommended to voters to support Ms Harris, we will also support her\u201d, adding, \u201cShe laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her.\u201d
\nMinistry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Thursday that the Russian response to Wednesday\u2019s moves in the US will be harsh and make \u201ceveryone shudder\u201d.
\nRT responded sarcastically via a message published on its website by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Anna Belkina, who said, \u201cThey\u2019re calling from 2016 and demanding all their tired cliches back.\u201d
\n\u201cThere are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and RT\u2019s interference in the American elections,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Authorities sanction, indict and seize website domains as Washington accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 US elections Washington The United States has announced a range of actions to combat Russian influence in the November 2024 presidential election, as the Biden administration tries to prevent outsiders from swaying votes. Two employees of Russian state media, Russia […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":429489,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-429463","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n