The USA keeps complaining that Moscow is interfering in the US elections. Now the government is reacting with a large package of sanctions. The focus is on Russia’s state broadcaster RT.
The US has imposed sanctions on several individuals and organisations for interfering in the presidential election. These include representatives of the Russian state broadcaster RT, the Treasury Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in Washington. Garland said the inner circle around Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed Russian PR firms to “promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a campaign to influence the 2024 US presidential election”.
The Treasury Department said Russian state-backed actors have long used a variety of tools, such as artificial intelligence, deep fakes, and targeted disinformation, to undermine trust in the processes and institutions surrounding U.S. elections. In early 2024, RT executives also began covertly recruiting unwitting American social media influencers for their influence efforts. RT used a front company to conceal its own or the Russian government’s involvement in content aimed at influencing the American public.
USA: Serious accusations against Moscow
The aim of exerting influence in various ways was also to spread Russian government propaganda in the USA and to undermine support for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia.
Among those affected by the sanctions are RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and other members of the channel’s management team. As a result of the sanctions, any assets of those affected in the USA will be frozen. US citizens will be prohibited from doing business with them. The sanctions also make international business much more difficult for those affected.
According to American officials, Moscow had already interfered in previous US elections. According to US intelligence services, Russia supported Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 election and tried to harm Democrat Joe Biden. Moscow wanted to influence the outcome of the election and sow discord in the country, according to a published intelligence report.
US security authorities are also convinced that Russia intervened in the 2016 election in favor of candidate Trump in order to thwart Democrat Hillary Clinton. A special investigator later investigated possible illegal agreements between Russia and Trump’s team. There was insufficient evidence for this.
These were the most spectacular deals between Moscow and Washington
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Watch the video above: Russia and the USA have recently exchanged more prisoners than they have in a long time. Spectacular deals have been made between Moscow and Washington time and again – an overview.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
