Russia's Influence Campaigns Promoting Anti-Ukraine Politicians Ahead of US Election

[Social Media]

 

Russia is intensifying its online influence campaigns to promote politicians in the West who oppose ongoing support for Ukraine, particularly in the lead-up to the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to a recent report by Meta. Since the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, Moscow has been actively engaged in covert efforts on global social media networks to weaken the West’s support for Kyiv. These campaigns have amplified the voices of national lawmakers across countries like France and Canada, who argue that the billions of dollars directed towards Ukraine would have been better spent domestically.

 

As the November U.S. presidential election approaches, Russia-based influence operations are expected to latch onto the growing domestic opposition to Ukraine support. This opposition has been particularly vocal among certain Republican figures, including vice-presidential candidate JD Vance and other leading Republican lawmakers, who have openly challenged Washington's financial aid to Ukraine. Meta, however, clarified that while Russian actors are expected to exploit these domestic messages for their own gain, there are no direct ties between these U.S. politicians and the Russian influence campaigns.

 

David Agranovich, Meta’s security policy director, highlighted the anticipated Russian efforts during a briefing with reporters. "We should expect to see Russian attempts to target election-related debates, particularly when they touch on support for Ukraine," Agranovich noted. He emphasized that the focus of these campaigns is less about aligning with any particular political party and more about countering support for Ukraine.

 

Over the past decade, the Kremlin has become increasingly sophisticated in its digital interference efforts, targeting Western audiences with a range of online tactics. Despite this, the overall impact of these campaigns on voters' decisions remains uncertain. As tech companies, policymakers, and civil society groups have become more adept at identifying and countering such efforts, Russia-based groups have adjusted their strategies. Rather than creating divisive content themselves, these groups are now more likely to promote messages already created by domestic politicians and influencers.

 

Recent examples of this shift in strategy include Russia-affiliated social media accounts heavily promoting local voices during events like the Paris Olympic Games and the far-right unrest in the United Kingdom. These accounts sought to portray Western democracy as being in decline, based on a review by POLITICO of thousands of social media posts across platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X.

 

In its latest report, Meta revealed that it had removed four Russia-based clandestine influence operations targeting users in Europe, the U.S., and other countries such as Azerbaijan and Mali. These operations involved a collective total of 340 Facebook and Instagram accounts, which spent over $150,000 on social media advertising. The campaigns primarily aimed to criticize Ukraine, discourage other countries from supporting the Eastern European nation, and question why the West should allocate so much funding to the ongoing conflict. Meta stated that it had successfully removed these Russia-linked campaigns before they gained significant traction online.

 

With the U.S. election now less than three months away, Meta also disclosed that it had shut down a separate covert operation originating within the United States. This operation had created a fake political advocacy group to target "real conservatives" in key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. While Meta was unable to identify the individuals behind this activity, the campaign borrowed heavily from known Russian tactics. These included the use of artificial intelligence tools to create fake social media accounts that were then used to set up state-based Facebook pages tied to the fictitious political advocacy group.

 

As the November election draws closer, the intersection of domestic political debates and foreign influence campaigns is likely to intensify. Meta’s report underscores the ongoing challenges that social media platforms face in combating disinformation and protecting the integrity of democratic processes from foreign interference.

 

Credit: Politico  2024-08-19

 

 

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[gargamon]

And the MAGA rubes will all fall for it. Actually they already have.

[nakhonandy]

Of course he is, he can't win if Ukraine has western support.

[spidermike007]

The size of the Russian organization set up for campaign disinformation and fake news on social media would stun most people. Most are in denial. Anyone who wants to know how malicious Russia is in this arena should watch the documentary Active Measures from 2018. Some great insight into how they manipulated the media in 2016 and helped to get Trump elected. And they are doing it again. He is their wet dream and he is Putin's lapdog, a friend to all dictators, and an enemy to democracy. 

[mdr224]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The size of the Russian organization set up for campaign disinformation and fake news on social media would stun most people. Most are in denial. Anyone who wants to know how malicious Russia is in this arena should watch the documentary Active Measures from 2018. Some great insight into how they manipulated the media in 2016 and helped to get Trump elected. And they are doing it again. He is their wet dream and he is Putin's lapdog, a friend to all dictators, and an enemy to democracy. 

America is falling apart from within. They shouldnt be meddling in other countries wars anyways. Get their own house in order first

[klauskunkel]

29 minutes ago, mdr224 said:

America is falling apart from within. They shouldnt be meddling in other countries wars anyways. Get their own house in order first

Have you been influenced by Putin?

Quote

These campaigns have amplified the voices who argue that the billions of dollars directed towards Ukraine would have been better spent domestically.

 

[Tug]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

The size of the Russian organization set up for campaign disinformation and fake news on social media would stun most people. Most are in denial. Anyone who wants to know how malicious Russia is in this arena should watch the documentary Active Measures from 2018. Some great insight into how they manipulated the media in 2016 and helped to get Trump elected. And they are doing it again. He is their wet dream and he is Putin's lapdog, a friend to all dictators, and an enemy to democracy. 

It’s so obvious it’s painful to watch.donald John trump is a greater asset to the Russian federation than he is an asset to my country…..ditch the albatross enough!!

[pegman]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The size of the Russian organization set up for campaign disinformation and fake news on social media would stun most people. Most are in denial. Anyone who wants to know how malicious Russia is in this arena should watch the documentary Active Measures from 2018. Some great insight into how they manipulated the media in 2016 and helped to get Trump elected. And they are doing it again. He is their wet dream and he is Putin's lapdog, a friend to all dictators, and an enemy to democracy. 

So I'm curious how did they get CNN to interview Trump live six times a day for the entire campaign?