The United States is set to accuse Russia on Wednesday of attempting to influence the 2024 presidential election through disinformation campaigns targeting American voters, with Russian state media network RT being a focal point, according to CNN.
This comes just before Attorney General Merrick Garland addresses the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force.
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment before the meeting.
The Justice Department has previously warned about Russian threats to the election, noting Russia’s consistent preference for Trump from 2016 to 2020.
US intelligence assessments have indicated Russian attempts to support Trump in both past elections.
Lisa Monaco, a senior Justice Department official, emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his associates are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to target specific voter groups and battleground states.
In July, the Justice Department disrupted a Russian social media campaign linked to RT.
The FBI recently searched the homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media, including former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter and Trump 2016 adviser Dimitri Simes.
A Russian lawmaker called the accusations “pure rubbish” and claimed Moscow is indifferent to whether Trump or Harris wins.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond, and RT responded with sarcasm, suggesting accusations of its election interference are as certain as death and taxes.
The US government has also accused Iran of trying to influence the election through cyber operations targeting both Trump and Harris campaigns, with Trump alleging Iran leaked internal documents.
US intelligence suggests China is not intervening in the race but notes a Beijing-linked social media operation is impersonating US voters and spreading divisive messages.