Putin’s Propaganda Chief Boasts of Russian Influence on U.S. Elections

[Social Media]

 

Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state-controlled media outlet Russia Today (RT), recently made bold claims about Russia's ability to sway U.S. public opinion and, in turn, influence American politics. Simonyan's remarks, which aired during a Russian TV appearance, revealed the extent of the Kremlin’s media strategy not only within Russia but also abroad, particularly targeting the United States.

 

Simonyan's comments come at a sensitive time, with U.S. voters preparing for the November 5 presidential election. Fears of Russian interference have been heightened, especially after the U.S. government explicitly accused Russia of disseminating disinformation aimed at disrupting the American electoral process. Last month, two RT employees were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), further fueling concerns about Russia's meddling in U.S. politics. 

 

Simonyan, however, seemed undeterred by these accusations. On Russian TV, she boasted of RT’s "electorally significant influence on the opinion of the [American] people," essentially affirming the U.S.'s fears of Russian involvement in their electoral process. Kremlin propagandists are believed to favor Donald Trump's candidacy, but their overarching goal is to stir division and distrust within the American electorate. Last week, the U.S. State Department even offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign nationals interfering in U.S. elections, underscoring the gravity of these concerns.

When contacted by Newsweek for comment, Simonyan’s response was laced with sarcasm. “You caught us,” she quipped.

 

“RT is waging a campaign for Americans to elect Vladimir Putin as their next president." Her tongue-in-cheek reply did little to obscure the seriousness of her previous remarks, especially when American journalist Julia Davis, through her organization Russian Media Monitor, highlighted Simonyan’s television interview on her X (formerly Twitter) account.

 

During the interview, Simonyan acknowledged the growing efforts by American authorities to curb RT’s influence, particularly in relation to its portrayal of the Ukraine conflict. She claimed the U.S. government had accused RT of undermining international support for Ukraine, hinting that the media outlet’s success in this regard had been recognized. "I don't think there can be a better recognition of achievements by the employees of Russia Today," she said with a smile.

 

She even told her staff that “their lives were well spent” if the U.S. State Department believed their work had influenced the reduction in military and financial support for Ukraine.

 

Simonyan further described RT’s continued influence in America despite attempts to shut them down. "In America, we had an electorally significant media,” she said. “We were broadcasting to America... People would watch this and say, 'I didn't know this!'" Her words carried an unsettling undertone as she warned U.S. officials that Russian propagandists would not relent. “They were losing it, because they would close the door to us and we would get in through the window,” she said, adding that if they sealed the windows, they would find a way through the vents or even "crawl in through the pipe." 

 

As Russia tightens its grip on domestic media, Simonyan's comments illustrate how the Kremlin views propaganda as a powerful tool not only for controlling its own narrative but also for influencing international political landscapes.

 

Based on a report from Newsweek 2024-10-23

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Russia Russia Russia

DA DA DA!

[Jingthing]

Smearing Tim Walz.

Inciting division.

Inciting violence.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/10/22/russia-election-disruption-tim-walz/?itid=hp-mv-top-stories_top-table-main_p001_f003

 

U.S. officials say Russia smeared Tim Walz, might stoke post-vote violence

Intelligence officials see Moscow’s hand in a fake video accusing the Democratic vice-presidential candidate of abusing a student years ago.

 

U.S. intelligence officials on Tuesday said Russians seeking to disrupt the U.S. elections created a faked video and other material smearing Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz with abuse allegations and are considering fomenting violence during and after the vote.

 

The faked content accused Walz of inappropriate interactions with students while a teacher and coach. The posts drew millions of views on social media, tarring the Minnesota governor ahead of Nov. 5.

The officials said the Russian videos were part of the most active attempt by another country to tilt the 2024 election. They added that Russian government agencies and contractors, which generally seek to boost Republican former president Donald Trump’s campaign, are considering trying to instigate physical violence in the fraught period after voters cast their ballots.

Edited October 22 by Jingthing

[Tug]

+ they have a willing participant in Donald John trump he would do anything to get back in the White House….don’t be fooled folks remember trumps last term…..chaos scandal after scandal the Covid disaster more than a million dead Americans 23% added to our debt for nothing…..of course they want trump,they ain’t our friends!