Federal agencies say Russia and Iran are ramping up influence campaigns targeting US voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s national rule enforcement and predetermination information agencies are debunking 2 caller examples of Russian predetermination disinformation on nan eve of Election Day, highlighting attempts by overseas actors to sow uncertainty successful nan U.S. voting process and informing that nan efforts tally nan consequence of inciting unit against predetermination officials.

In a joint statement precocious Monday, national officials pointed to a caller article posted by Russian actors falsely claiming that U.S. officials crossed statesmanlike plaything states were orchestrating a scheme to perpetrate fraud, arsenic good arsenic a video that falsely depicted an question and reply pinch an individual claiming predetermination fraud successful Arizona.

U.S. intelligence reveals that Russia-linked power actors “are manufacturing videos and creating clone articles to undermine nan legitimacy of nan election, instill fearfulness successful voters regarding nan predetermination process, and propose Americans are utilizing unit against each different owed to governmental preferences,” publication nan connection issued by nan Office of nan Director of National Intelligence, nan FBI and nan U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “These efforts consequence inciting violence, including against predetermination officials.”

A spokesperson for nan Russian Embassy did not instantly respond to an emailed petition for comment.

Federal officials warned that Russia will apt merchandise further “manufactured content” connected Election Day and poses “the astir progressive threat” erstwhile it comes to overseas predetermination influence. The connection besides noted that Iran remains a “significant overseas power threat to U.S. elections.”

The effort described by national officials is portion of a wide-ranging power cognition by Russia designed to undermine assurance successful nan electoral process and sow discord among American voters. Intelligence agencies person assessed that Russia, which besides interfered connected Donald Trump’s behalf successful nan 2016 and 2020 statesmanlike elections, again prefers nan Republican nominee and is apt to persist successful its power operations good aft Election Day.

Besides manufactured videos intended to beforehand disinformation, U.S. officials besides person accused Russian authorities media of a covert, multimillion-dollar cognition to spread pro-Russia contented to American audiences and person seized dozens of net domains they said fostered propaganda.

In their statement, officials besides drew caller attraction to Iran’s attempts to interfere successful nan election, which see a hack-and-leak cognition designed to harm Trump’s candidacy. The Justice Department successful September charged 3 Iranian hackers successful that effort.

Iranian actors besides person created clone news sites and impersonated activists online successful attempts to sway voters, according to analysts astatine Microsoft. The tech elephantine said past period that Iranian actors who allegedly sent emails aimed astatine intimidating U.S. voters successful 2020 person been surveying election-related websites and awesome media outlets, raising concerns they could beryllium preparing for different strategy this year.

As ample tech firms and intelligence officials person called retired overseas interference this predetermination cycle, Russia, China and Iran person rejected claims that they are seeking to meddle pinch nan U.S. election.

The Arizona video promoted connected societal media by Russian actors connected Monday purported to show an anonymous whistleblower revealing an predetermination fraud scheme. Federal officials said nan Arizona Secretary of State’s agency had already refuted nan contented of nan video.

Earlier this week, U.S. officials confirmed that a video claiming to show elector fraud successful 2 left-leaning counties successful Georgia was clone and nan merchandise of a Russian troll farm. And past month, they attributed to Russia different clone video of a personification tearing up ballots successful what appeared to beryllium Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker successful Washington contributed to this report.

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