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Putin confidants advanced Russia's campaign to undermine US Prez polls
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IANS | 16 Apr, 2021
While imposing the latest sanctions, the US Treasury Department said
that private and public sector corruption facilitated by Russian
President Vladimir Putin has enriched his network of confidants, who
used their illicit business connections to advance Moscows campaign to
undermine the 2020 US presidential election.
On Thursday, the
Department said that members of this network include First Deputy Chief
of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, Alexei Gromov,
previously designated as a government official.
Gromov leads the
Kremlin's use of its media apparatus that sought to exacerbate tensions
in the US by discrediting the November 3, 2020, election process.
As a result, the Treasury has designated Gromov for having attempted to interfere in the election.
The
Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took sweeping
action against 16 entities and 16 individuals who attempted to influence
the election at the direction of the leadership of the Russian
Government.
"Treasury will target Russian leaders, officials,
intelligence services, and their proxies that attempt to interfere in
the US electoral process or subvert US democracy," said Secretary Janet
Yellen.
"This is the start of a new US campaign against Russian malign behaviour."
According
to the Department, Russian intelligence services, namely the Federal
Security Service (FSB), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), and the
Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), played critical roles in
propagating disinformation online.
The FSB, GRU, and SVR operate a network of websites that obscure their Russian origin to appeal to Western audiences.
Outlets
operated by the intelligence services focus on divisive issues in the
US, denigrate American political candidates, and disseminate false and
misleading information.
The GRU and FSB were first designated in 2016, as per documents of the US Treasury.
The
FSB directly operates disinformation outlets. SouthFront is an online
disinformation site registered in Russia that receives taskings from the
FSB. It attempts to appeal to military enthusiasts, veterans, and
conspiracy theorists, all while going to great lengths to hide its
connections to Russian intelligence.
In the aftermath of the
2020 polls, SouthFront sought to promote perceptions of voter fraud by
publishing content alleging that such activity took place during the
election cycle.
Meanwhile, NewsFront is a Crimea-based
disinformation and propaganda outlet that worked with FSB officers to
coordinate a narrative that undermined the credibility of a news website
advocating for human rights, according to the Treasury.
Part of
NewsFront's plan was to utilise Alexander Malkevich, who is also being
re-designated in Thursday's action, to further disseminate
disinformation. NewsFront was also used to distribute false information
about the Covid-19 vaccine, which further demonstrates the irresponsible
and reckless conduct of Russian disinformation sites.
The
Strategic Culture Foundation (SCF) is an online journal registered in
Russia that is directed by the SVR and closely affiliated with the
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. SCF is controlled by the SVR's
Directorate MS (Active Measures) and created false and unsubstantiated
narratives concerning US officials involved in the 2020 election.
It
publishes conspiracy theorists, giving them a broader platform to
spread disinformation, while trying to obscure the Russian origins of
the journal so that readers may be more likely to trust the sourcing.
InfoRosm which calls itself a news agency but is primarily run by the GRU's 72nd Main Intelligence Information Center (GRITs).
GRITs
is a unit within Russia's Information Operations Troops, which is
identified as the country's military force for conducting cyber
espionage, influence, and offensive cyber operations.
InfoRos operates under two organisations, "InfoRos, OOO" and "IA InfoRos".
InfoRos
used a network of websites, including nominally independent websites,
to spread false conspiracy narratives and disinformation promoted by GRU
officials.
Denis Tyurin held a leadership role in InfoRos and had previously served in the GRU.
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Customs Exchange Rates |
Currency |
Import |
Export |
US Dollar
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66.20
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64.50 |
UK Pound
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87.50
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84.65 |
Euro
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78.25
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75.65 |
Japanese
Yen |
58.85 |
56.85 |
As on 13 Aug, 2022 |
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