Washington, September 5 :
For their "malign influence efforts" aimed at the US presidential election of 2024, the US government sanctioned ten Russian individuals and two Russian businesses. On Wednesday (local time), the US Department of Treasury and the Biden administration launched a coordinated effort to penalize and prosecute individuals and entities they believe are involved in Russian government-sponsored "attempts to manipulate US public opinion" in the run-up to the November election.
"Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated US government response to Moscow's malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 US presidential election," a statement issued by the Treasury Department read.
Two RT workers, who were funded by Russia, were indicted in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York for conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Russian "state-sponsored actors have long used" generative AI deep fakes, disinformation, and other tools to erode faith in US election processes and institutions, according to the US.
"Initiating in early 2024, administrators at RT—the state-funded news agency in Russia—began an even more egregious endeavor to clandestinely enlist American influencers to back their malicious influence campaign. The Treasury Department went on to say that RT had established a front firm to hide its involvement—or the Russian government's—in programming aimed to influence US audiences.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that this move demonstrates the continuous endeavors of the Biden administration to ensure that state-sponsored entities are held responsible for their actions that undermine public confidence in our institutions.
Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen stated, "Today's action underscores the US 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."
Afterwards, during Thursday's White House briefing, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that the US believes Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of RT's activities. Kirby was asked if high-level Russian officials were also aware.
"We believe Putin is weighing in on these actions," added Kirby.
A new policy restricting visas for persons the government claims are working for media organizations funded by the Kremlin that engage in covert activities, is one of three related measures announced by the State Department.
In addition to providing a prize of up to USD 10 million for information regarding potential foreign efforts to meddle in US elections, a senior official from the State Department announced that it is designating six RT affiliates that operate in the US as "foreign missions."
The United States intelligence community has long held the view that Russia intends to meddle in the 2024 presidential election. In light of this, they have designated RT as a foreign agent and demanded that it register as one.
