The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it is seizing 32 domains tied to a Russian influence campaign accused of spreading propaganda to influence voters in U.S. and foreign elections.
Why it matters: Members of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle directed Russian companies to promote disinformation as part of a campaign to influence the 2024 election, the Justice Department alleged.
- “The sites we are seizing today were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other countries,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Wednesday.
Driving the news: The DOJ also announced charges Wednesday against Russian nationals connected to an alleged scheme to influence U.S. audiences with content that included hidden Russian government messaging.
- Court documents allege that RT, a Russian state media network previously called Russia Today, deployed nearly $10 million to finance and direct a Tennessee-based online content creation company that has posted nearly 2,000 videos in English focused on key domestic and foreign issues to “amplify divisions in the United States.”
Crazycat
Article URL : https://www.axios.com/2024/09/04/justice-department-charges-russian-state-media-election-interference