The US accused Russia of trying to interfere in the presidential election. Two employees of the Russian state broadcaster RT were placed on a sanctions list for spending $10 million on social media to exert political influence in the US.
The US Department of Justice accused some media outlets and social media platforms affiliated with Russia of trying to interfere in the presidential elections to be held on 5 November. US Justice Secretary Merrick Garland made statements targeting the Moscow administration and announced new sanctions at a press conference held at the Ministry.
Garland argued that the Russian state broadcaster RT was being used covertly by the Moscow administration to ‘manipulate public opinion ahead of the US presidential elections’ and thus influence the elections. Minister Garland claimed that not only RT, but also many social media platforms and users directed by Moscow are trying to influence American public opinion and interfere in the elections, and stated that they will impose sanctions on these individuals and institutions. Garland announced that two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, had spent $10 million to exert political influence in the United States through social media platforms, and that they had placed them under sanctions.
The US Minister emphasised that in addition to Russia, actors such as Iran and China are trying to influence the US political system and the presidential race indirectly, if not directly, and that they are closely monitoring these steps and taking the necessary measures. The US Department of Justice also stated that two media-communications companies affiliated with Russia, Social Design Agency (SDA) and Structura National Technology (Structura), are also trying to interfere in the US presidential elections and will be sanctioned in this context. US intelligence concluded that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections through RT and other media organisations, while Moscow denied allegations of interference in the elections.
