The Biden administration announced measures against Russian influence Wednesday, including charges against two RT employees and the seizure of 32 propaganda-related Internet domains.
The U.S. has also imposed sanctions on two Russian firms for creating fake websites and social media profiles that mimicked U.S. news outlets to spread disinformation.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and other law enforcement officials are discussing legal actions against perpetrators involved in election interference, expressing deep concerns about Russia's disinformation efforts.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco identifies Russia as the primary threat to election integrity.
The Biden administration's crackdown on Russian influence also extends to financial measures. The U.S. Treasury Department is advising foreign regulators and financial institutions to exercise caution regarding operations with new overseas Russian financial institutions, warning of significant sanctions risks associated with assisting Russia's attempts to bypass sanctions.
U.S. intelligence agencies indicated that both Russia and Iran utilized disinformation and hacking to impact U.S. elections, affecting both the Trump and Biden campaigns.
"This is not about politics. This is about national security," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. Sullivan highlighted.
Kremlin-linked groups are reportedly outsourcing digital propaganda creation to Russian marketing firms while working to conceal their activities.
Russia's tactics leverage polarizing topics such as immigration, crime, and foreign conflicts to engage American audiences.
The U.S. intelligence reports also reflect that while there have been no successful attempts by foreign entities to alter election vote counts, efforts to sow discord have persisted.
RT has responded to allegations of election interference with a quote stating, "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections," according to Fox News.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: MSNBC, NBC News, CBS News, CNBC, BBC News, The New York Times, Fox News, Daily Mail Online, Voice of America (VOA News), PBS.