Russia's Putin likely directed 2020 election meddling, U.S. finds

[webfact]

Empty boxes from Milwaukee's voting wards are seen the night of Election Day as absentee ballots are counted at Milwaukee Central Count in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. November 3, 2020. REUTERS/Bing Guan TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

By Christopher Bing, Joseph Menn and Raphael Satter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin likely directed an effort by Moscow to try to swing the 2020 U.S. presidential election to Donald Trump, according to an American intelligence report released on Tuesday that linked the Kremlin and allies of the former president.

The 15-page report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, added heft to longstanding allegations that some of Trump's top lieutenants were playing into Moscow's hands by amplifying claims made against then-candidate Joe Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election. It also added new findings that Putin either oversaw or at least approved of the election meddling to benefit Trump.

The findings about Putin's role are likely to receive particular attention given the report's conclusions that Russia-backed figures such as Ukrainian parliamentarian Andriy Derkach enlisted unnamed U.S. political figures in their campaign to smear Biden and his son Hunter.

The report named Derkach, who met with Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani in 2019, as someone whose movements were being tracked, if not directed, by Putin.

"Putin had purview over the activities of Andriy Derkach," the report said. "Other senior officials also participated in Russia's election influence efforts - including senior national security and intelligence officials who we assess would not act without receiving at least Putin's tacit approval."

Biden, a Democrat, defeated Trump, a Republican, and became president in January.

U.S. intelligence agencies and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller previously concluded that Russia also interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to boost Trump's candidacy with a campaign of propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Mueller found extensive contacts between Trump's campaign and Russia. Trump while president also faced questions about ties by his associates with Russia and Russia-linked figures in Ukraine. The U.S. House of Representatives impeached Trump in 2019 - the first of two times - on charges arising from his request that Ukraine investigate the Bidens.

The U.S. intelligence report also found other foreign attempts to sway American voters in 2020 including a "multi-pronged covert influence campaign" by Iran intended to undercut Trump. As president, Trump pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran and imposed fresh sanctions.

CHINA COUNTER-NARRATIVE

The report also punctured a counter-narrative pushed by Trump's allies that China was interfering on Biden's behalf, concluding that Beijing "did not deploy interference efforts."

"China sought stability in its relationship with the United States and did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk blowback if caught," the report said.

U.S. officials said they also saw efforts by Cuba, Venezuela and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to influence the election, although "in general, we assess that they were smaller in scale than those conducted by Russia and Iran."

The Russian, Chinese and Cuban Embassies in Washington did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations and the Venezuelan Ministry of Information also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Moscow, Beijing and Tehran routinely deny allegations of cyberespionage and election interference.

The report assessed that Russian leaders "preferred that former President Trump win re-election despite perceiving some of his administration's policies as anti-Russia," with its authors adding, "We have high confidence in this assessment."

A key role was also played by another man with Russian intelligence ties, Konstantin Kilimnik, according to the report. It said Kilimnik and Derkach met with and gave materials to Trump-linked people to push for formal investigations, and Derkach released four audio recordings to try to suggest that Biden had tried to protect his son Hunter from a corruption probe in Ukraine. Giuliani was among those promoting such claims.

Kilimnik was an associate of Paul Manafort, who served as Trump's 2016 campaign chairman. Trump last year pardoned Manafort for a criminal conviction that stemmed from Mueller's investigation.

Russian agents also tried to hack subsidiaries of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, "likely in an attempt to gather information related to President Biden's family," it said. Hunter Biden had served on Burisma's board.

As in the 2016 election, the Russian so-called troll factory formerly known as the Internet Research Agency pushed disparaging stories on social media about Biden and Democrats and complained about censorship by the tech companies, the report said. It also sought to exacerbate U.S. divisions on racial justice issues, the report said.

(Reporting by Christopher Bing and Joseph Menn; Writing by Raphael Satter; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham)

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-03-17

 

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[Tug]

Well yea it’s obvious he tryed to keep his tody in power now all he has is certain (news organizations) to push his divisive message along with the emasculated Republican Party 

[EVENKEEL]

But wasn't it reported this was the most secure election in history? 

[scorecard]

Putin helped the clown, but biden won.

Obvious that Biden should have won by a much bigger margin.

Shows that the US very tired of trump and wanting to dump him.

[candide]

12 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

But wasn't it reported this was the most secure election in history? 

Where is it written in the OP that it wasn't secure?

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

But wasn't it reported this was the most secure election in history? 

Ya didn't even read the article.  Figures.

[mtls2005]

 

https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf

 

 

[Rimmer]

A troll post and a reply have been removed

[animalmagic]

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

But wasn't it reported this was the most secure election in history? 

The most secure election in history would be why the attempted interference was found

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

The most secure election in history would be why the attempted interference was found

Correct no matter what side won. 

[Lacessit]

There's a maxim law enforcement agencies use, "follow the money". If Trump's financial dealings ever see the full light of day, IMO it will come as no surprise to find he is deeply indebted to the Russians, and hence Putin wanted him re-elected so Putin could continue pulling the strings.

[MasterBaker]

haven't heard or seen any evidence produced of such claims... ever

[Pedrogaz]

Yeah? Do we have to put up with this nonsense every 4 years?

At least Putin, unlike the US, seems to want a peaceful regime change that doesn't involve bombing and invasions, none of which have had any successful outcome.

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Yeah? Do we have to put up with this nonsense every 4 years?

At least Putin, unlike the US, seems to want a peaceful regime change that doesn't involve bombing and invasions, none of which have had any successful outcome.

Putin wants a peaceful regime change?  Seriously?  Do you ever read the news about the BS going on in Russia?  Hardly oriented towards a peaceful election process.

And have you forgotten about Russia's involvement in Ukraine? Georgia?  Moldova? Armenia? Etc, etc, etc.  Hardly peaceful.

[Operator2002]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

At least Putin, unlike the US, seems to want a peaceful regime change

How? By eliminating any opposition leaders and crushing peaceful demonstrations?...????

[TheFishman1]

Trump will go down as the worst president do United States of ever had he was the worst

[mistral53]

It never ceases to amaze me how much power little Russia wields over the full spectrum dominant USA. Am I really the only one who is getting tired over the endless  theatrical distractions the US three letter agencies use to keep their flock in line?

Just imagine for a second what would happen to the MIC's Trillion dollar budget if Mr. Putin boogeyman no longer imminently wants to invade every free country in the world, no less with a defense budget 20 times (!) smaller then the US..................!! Thank you Mr. Putin, lets print another couple of Trillions in funny money for all the pork of the corrupt crony beltway crowd - oohhh sorry, right, some bread crumbs for the hoi polloi was in there too.

[placeholder]

25 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

Am I really the only one who is getting tired over the endless  theatrical distractions the US three letter agencies use to keep their flock in line?

You're not quite the only one. I believe there are 7 others.

[earlinclaifornia]

I guarantee the report assessment would never have been seen if Tump was in office. Trump/Tucker 2024

Edited March 17, 2021 by earlinclaifornia

[TKDfella]

Ha, can't imagine why Putin would back DT, a Republican...oh wait. Perhaps Putin envisages a United Socialist America that will challenge Russia in terms of population, 3.2x10⁸ vs 1.9x10⁸.

[placeholder]

8 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

Ha, can't imagine why Putin would back DT, a Republican...oh wait. Perhaps Putin envisages a United Socialist America that will challenge Russia in terms of population, 3.2x10⁸ vs 1.9x10⁸.

Can you imagine why Trump would take the word of Putin over the reports of  intelligence agencies? Or why Trump never said an unkind word about Putin?

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Can you imagine why Trump would take the word of Putin over the reports of  intelligence agencies? Or why Trump never said an unkind word about Putin?

You didn't ask me, but it's super easy to imagine why mr. trump behaved that way. It's pretty obvious actually. mr. trump was a classic "useful idiot" asset for the Kremlin and there is almost no doubt that Putin has Kompromat on him. What exactly we don't know yet but most like around money laundering for Russian oligarchs. Doesn't need to be an explicit traitor. So an American president that he has control over? It couldn't get any better than that for Putin. 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Jingthing

[onthedarkside]

A post that misrepresented the findings of the OP news report, and a trolling comment, have been removed, along with several replies.

 

[EVENKEEL]

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You didn't ask me, but it's super easy to imagine why mr. trump behaved that way. It's pretty obvious actually. mr. trump was a classic "useful idiot" asset for the Kremlin and there is almost no doubt that Putin has Kompromat on him. What exactly we don't know yet but most like around money laundering for Russian oligarchs. Doesn't need to be an explicit traitor. So an American president that he has control over? It couldn't get any better than that for Putin. 

Endless, baseless speculation. 

[GreasyFingers]

I am absolutely assured that they contacted Putin by phone and he admitted that he had.

How can they take themselves seriously putting out this <deleted>.

[Chiphigh]

2 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

Trump will go down as the worst president do United States of ever had he was the worst

No, but you are entitled to believe that. 

[Jingthing]

Just now, Chiphigh said:

No, but you are entitled to believe that. 

There is zero doubt that he will be rated either dead last or in the bottom two or three. 

[onthedarkside]

A news source trolling post and a derogatory name calling post have been removed, along with several replies.

 

[Phoenix Rising]

6 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Yeah? Do we have to put up with this nonsense every 4 years?

At least Putin, unlike the US, seems to want a peaceful regime change that doesn't involve bombing and invasions......

Yes, not difficult to have a "peaceful regime change" and make yourself president for life when all your strongest opponents are killed or jailed.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Phoenix Rising

[Phoenix Rising]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

I am absolutely assured that they contacted Putin by phone and he admitted that he had.

How can they take themselves seriously putting out this <deleted>.

And I can't take seriously someone who can't wrap his head around the idea that dictator Putin obviously would cease every opportunity to influence the US election in the direction he wanted it to go and that was, of course, to get his boy trump reelected.