Yesterday, the United States announced criminal charges and sanctions against employees who work for Russian news outlet RT, for purportedly trying to influence this year’s election results. Russian officials have already vowed retaliation.
10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department include RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonovna Simonyan and deputy Elizaveta Yuryevna Brodskaia.
The U.S. Treasury detailed the sanctions in a press release, stating (excerpts):
Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated U.S. government response to Moscow’s malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Russian state-sponsored actors have long used a variety of tools, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) deep fakes and disinformation, in an attempt to undermine confidence in the United States’ election processes and institutions. Beginning in early 2024, executives at RT—Russia’s state-funded news media outlet—began an even more nefarious effort to covertly recruit unwitting American influencers in support of their malign influence campaign. RT used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government in content meant to influence U.S. audiences.
Today’s designations complement law enforcement actions taken by the Department of Justice and the Department of State’s designation of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and five of its subsidiaries, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, as Foreign Missions, steps to impose visa restrictions, and release of a Rewards for Justice (RFJ) reward offer of up to $10 million relating to information pertaining to foreign interference in a U.S. election.
The Kremlin employs an array of tools, including covert foreign malign influence campaigns and illicit cyber activities, to undermine the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and its allies and partners globally. Russia routinely uses its intelligence services, government-directed proxies, and covert influence tools in these efforts. The Kremlin has increasingly adapted its efforts to hide its involvement by developing a vast ecosystem of Russian proxy websites, fake online personas, and front organizations that give the false appearance of being independent news sources unconnected to the Russian state.
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned persons may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
[…] The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement:
Today’s action underscores the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions. Treasury will not waver in our commitment to safeguarding our democratic principles and the integrity of our election systems.
Moreover, Christopher A. Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said in a statement as well (excerpts):
Of course, our commitment to protecting elections and Americans’ right to vote extends to an even broader array of threats—threats the FBI, as both a law enforcement and intelligence agency, will continue to work 24/7 to uncover and disrupt. That means aggressively combatting attempts by foreign adversaries to undermine confidence in U.S. elections, sow discord, and damage our democratic institutions.
The actions announced today focus on Russia, but Russia is by no means the only adversary we’ve seen try to meddle in our society and democratic processes. Just last month, for instance, the FBI—working with the broader [U.S.] Intelligence Community and CISA [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency]—called out Iran for targeting and attempting to compromise former President [Donald] Trump’s campaign.
And we continue to keep a close eye on China’s efforts to denigrate down-ballot candidates it sees as a threat, and on their broader efforts to sow discord.
Whether it’s China, Iran, Russia, or some other country, attempts to meddle in our elections or destabilize our free and open society represent attacks on our democracy. And as long as foreign adversaries keep engaging in these hostile influence campaigns, they’re going to keep running into the FBI.
[…] For years, the Russian government has used RT to seed and amplify their propaganda narratives around the world. And while RT America suspended its official operations in the U.S. in early 2022, our investigation revealed that, since at least last year, RT has used people living and working inside the U.S. to facilitate contracts with American media figures to create and disseminate Russian propaganda here.The content was pitched as legitimate, independent news, when in fact, much of it was created in Russia by RT employees who work for the Russian government.
The second operation reveals even more malign activities by companies working under the direction and control of the Russian government—companies that created media websites to trick Americans into unwittingly consuming Russian propaganda.
Today’s announcement exposes those companies and their influence operations—operations that relied on AI [artificial-intelligence]-generated content, influencers, and paid social media advertisements to drive internet traffic to their sites and target Americans with disinformation.
As of noon today, we’ve seized those sites, rendered them inoperable, and made clear to the world what they are: Russian attempts to interfere in our elections and influence our society.
Furthermore, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland claimed that the allegations against Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, along with a separate Russian scheme to purportedly spread anti-Ukraine content on the internet, “make clear the ends to which the Russian government, including at its highest levels, is willing to go to undermine our democratic process.”
These sanctions also mean that former United Nations Weapons inspector and former U.S. Marine Corps major Scott Ritter, a contributing writer for RT, will no longer be able to write for the outlet. Ritter made these announcements on X.
I reject the notion that the work I have done over the past years with the newly sanctioned Russian media organizations has been anything other than legitimate journalism, the content of which has been factually correct and analytically sound, and always of my own creation.
Nonetheless, I am fully committed to obeying US law, and as such will be terminating all contractual relationships with both RT and Sputnik effective immediately, as well as suspending my participation in any and all media interaction with sanctioned individuals and organizations until which time it is deemed lawful to do so by US authorities.
I will continue to exercise my free speech rights, to include my ability to function as a journalist free from government influence or control.
Ritter said in his statement
Last month Ritter was raided by the FBI and had possessions and hard drives seized from his private residence. Ritter detailed this in a piece for RT.
Russian officials have since responded to these actions and have vowed retaliation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with RIA Novosti, “What is this agenda? It will not work out again to come up with a story about Russia’s interference in the American elections, but supposedly fresh, new, updated facts are needed.” She added, “This is an information campaign that was prepared with the participation of, among other things, the American deep state and special services. And of course, this is necessary in order to become a factor for all these elected, election technologies and so on.”
She went on to say that retaliatory measures by the Kremlin will make “everyone shudder.”
When the authorities resort to such primitive ways of influencing their voters, this is the decline of ‘liberal democracies.’ There will be a response.
We warn that attempts to expel Russian journalists from the territory of the United States, create unacceptable conditions for their work or any other forms of obstruction of their activities, including with the use of visa tools, will become the basis for taking symmetrical and/or asymmetric retaliatory measures against the American media.
In 2017, when Megyn Kelly, who worked for NBC at the time, asked Russian President Vladimir Putin in an interview about his and Russia’s alleged attempts to fraudulently interfere with the U.S. 2016 Presidential Election, Putin of course denied those allegations and said that even if they wanted to, it would not matter because American foreign policy does not change between administrations.
Presidents come and go, and even the parties in four, but the main political direction does not change. That’s why, in the grand scheme of things, we don’t care who is the head of the United States. We know more or less what is going to happen. And so in this regard, even if we wanted to, it wouldn’t make sense for us to interfere.
Nevertheless, in an ironic twist, President Putin gave his endorsement of Vice-President Kamala Harris to win the election, and joked about her “infectious laugh” and her way of presenting information. Putin said that Harris “laughs so infectiously” that it perhaps means “everything is going well for her.” “In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect,” he said.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
It should also be worth noting that several American pundits – Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin and Lauren Southern – apparently received money from ‘a Tennessee-based media company, later identified as Tenet Media, received nearly $10 million from employees of Russian state-backed media company, Russia Today (RT), as part of “a scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging,’ ZeroHedge reported. You can read-up on that whole ordeal over there.
Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
This is typical American hypocrisy at its finest. This country will accuse anyone of everything, but when they do it on a routine basis then it’s seen as “democratic” and protecting “liberty.” Nonsense as usual, as the world inches closer to a more, broader war.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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I have a hunch that there’s going to be a massive catastrophe this September 11th, I could be wrong but I am betting something major is going down.
America has poked the Russian Bear for fr too long and far too much, and now that bear is going to maul America.
Don’t make me laugh! ABC agency is very fond of regime change aroundtheworld. Wej double agents are not registered agente extranjeros. Muy bien.
Don’t make me laugh! ABC agency is very fond of regime change aroundtheworld. Wej double agents are not registered agente extranjeros. Muy bien. Really?
Jacob,
Speaking of American corrupt gov’t hypocrisy which does not represent us. Please read Clash of the two Americas “The Anglo-Venetian roots of the Deep State” volume 4. It will blow your mind and connect a lot of dots.
Remember Russia along with Turkey and the confederacy of nations will be part of Ezekiel 38.
Shalom
Russia don’t need to interfere with US Selections, America interferes with it’s own selections, just ask the MM( if they told the truth). The way this country is right now, I’d trust Putin more then anything that comes out of the mouths of MM and government.
RT is one of the only unbiased sources of information on this plane of existence.
Maybe not unbiased but certainly much more truthful than the Lame Stream Media.
RT is one of the only unbiased sources of information on this plane of existence.