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Russian influence operations are escalating ahead of Election Day, feds warn
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Russian influence operations are escalating ahead of Election Day, feds warn

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement on Monday warning of escalating foreign influence operations aimed at undermining confidence in the upcoming elections in US.

Agencies singled out Russia as the most active threat, with influencers spreading fake videos and fabricated news stories to sow division and distrust in the election process. “Since our statement on Friday, CI has observed foreign adversaries, particularly Russia, conducting additional influence operations designed to undermine public confidence in the integrity of US elections and fuel divisions among Americans,” the agencies said. “CI expects these activities to intensify on Election Day and in the coming weeks, and foreign influence narratives will focus on swing states.”

The statement detailed recent tactics attributed to Russian influence actors, including a fake video falsely showing Haitians voting illegally in Georgiaand an alleged false report of voter fraud in Arizona. The Arizona Secretary of State dismissed these claims as false.

Meanwhile, a social media influencer revealed to CNN that he had been paid $100 to post Russian propaganda online.

According to the intelligence community, Russian operatives produced and amplified content alleging that US officials in swing states were planning election fraud. In addition, they spread claims of overseas vote-rigging and manipulation of voter rolls to favor Vice President Kamala Harris.

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The agencies also warned that Russia’s efforts could incite violence, including potential violence against election officials. “We expect Russian actors to release additional fabricated content with these themes leading up to Election Day and in the days and weeks after the polls close.”

The statement went on to mention Iran’s ongoing influence activities, including alleged cyber actions aimed at compromising former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Iranian actors, according to the agencies, may continue to create fake media to suppress the vote or cause unrest, particularly targeting figures associated with the 2020 death of IRGC-QF commander Qasem Soleimani.

In response, CISA advised voters to seek information only from reliable and official sources, particularly state and local election offices, to protect against foreign misinformation. The FBI and CISA also urged campaigns and election stakeholders to report suspicious activity or cyber incidents. To report suspicious activity, interested parties can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or report cyber incidents through the CISA hotline at 1-844-Say-CISA.