‘Russia Is the Most Active Threat’ – US Intelligence Warns of Moscow Disinformation Campaign During Elections

US intelligence agencies stated that Russia is the most active source of fake articles and videos regarding the presidential elections.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released a joint statement on Nov. 4 warning about the growing threat of foreign interference in the ongoing US elections.

“Since our statement on Friday, the intelligence community has observed foreign adversaries, particularly Russia, conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of US elections and stoke divisions among Americans,” the report states.

The intelligence community anticipated that these activities would escalate and continue in the following weeks, with narratives primarily targeting swing states.

“Russia is the most active threat,” the report said. 

Russian-affiliated actors are reportedly creating fake videos and articles designed to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections and instill fear in voters, the statement reads. 

One troubling trend involves content that suggests rising political violence among Americans due to differing political preferences. The intelligence community warns that these actions could incite real-world violence, potentially targeting election officials.

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“We anticipate Russian actors will release additional manufactured content with these themes through election day and in the days and weeks after polls close,” the statement adds.

Recent disinformation campaigns include a false article claiming that US officials in key states are planning to commit election fraud through ballot stuffing and cyberattacks.

Another misleading video circulated by Russian influence actors – an alleged interview about election fraud in Arizona – claimed that fake overseas ballots were created and voter rolls were altered to benefit Vice President Kamala Harris – a claim Arizona’s Secretary of State denied officially.

US intelligence agencies have also identified “Russian influence actors” behind a fake video featuring a Haitian man who claims to have voted “multiple times” in Georgia.

The 20-second clip, widely circulated on social media platforms like X, shows two men in a car claiming to be Haitian citizens who gained US citizenship within six months and voted for Kamala Harris in Gwinnett and Fulton counties.

The BBC’s investigation found clear signs of fabrication, including false addresses and stock photos. BBC Verify also revealed discrepancies in the driving licenses shown by one of the men, including addresses that did not correspond to residential locations and a stock image used as identification.

In their joint statement, the ODNI, the FBI, and the CISA reported that the video “falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti” and was part of Russia’s broader effort to undermine confidence in the integrity of US elections and sow division among Americans.

Researchers from Clemson University linked the video to a Russian disinformation operation known as Storm-1516, which has intensified its focus on the upcoming US election. Darren Linvill from Clemson said the video’s narrative and production style align with previous Russian disinformation tactics.

Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, condemned the clip as “fake” and called it part of a disinformation campaign, urging social media platforms to remove it.

US intelligence agencies previously reported that a separate video, allegedly showing a poll worker destroying Trump ballots in Pennsylvania, was also “manufactured and amplified” by Russian actors.

US intelligence agencies also identified Iran as a significant threat in a recent joint statement, with assessments suggesting that Iranian groups may engage in similar tactics to suppress voter turnout or incite unrest, as seen in previous elections.

The Russian embassy in the US dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” asserting that Russia does not interfere in other countries’ affairs.

Given the rising volume of disinformation, CISA urges voters to seek information from trusted sources, particularly state and local election officials.