As the US presidential election approaches, Russian operatives have intensified their disinformation campaign, focusing on Vice President Kamala Harris. According to Microsoft, Kremlin-linked trolls have been disseminating viral conspiracy videos designed to inflame racial and political tensions, with one video alone garnering 1.5 million views.
- Disinformation Campaign: Microsoft revealed that Russian operatives are behind videos promoting falsehoods about Harris, including a fabricated story claiming she was involved in a hit-and-run accident in 2011.
- Targeting Swing States: The US intelligence community has warned that Russia is ramping up its covert efforts to sway public opinion and undermine support for Ukraine, focusing on key swing states.
- Shifting Tactics: Initially struggling to shift from attacking Biden to Harris, Russian operatives began launching focused attacks on Harris’ campaign in late August, capitalizing on perceived vulnerabilities.
- Ongoing Threat: The report adds to mounting evidence of Russia’s interference in US elections, with Moscow’s tactics echoing their disinformation efforts from 2016 and 2020, aimed at undermining Democratic candidates.
As Russia continues its disinformation efforts to interfere in US elections, the Harris campaign finds itself in the crosshairs of Kremlin-backed operatives. With millions of views on falsified videos circulating online, the stakes are high as misinformation threatens to distort public perception in the critical weeks ahead of the election.
