Key facts
- Russia is using social media to sow distrust in U.S. elections and generate chaos.
- AI has accelerated Russian efforts to target Americans online.
- Senator Jon Ossoff and James Talarico are being specifically targeted.
- Russian disinformation campaigns have also targeted France, Moldova, and the UK.
Russia is conducting a covert online disinformation campaign targeting U.S. politicians who support Ukraine, according to Senators Mark Warner and Jim Himes. The lawmakers stated on October 21 that a recent intelligence briefing revealed Russian efforts to undermine U.S. backing for Ukraine, particularly against candidates in the upcoming midterm elections who have expressed support for the country. These comments come as the Trump administration has appeared to soften its stance toward Moscow, recently allowing Russian diesel exports into the U.S. and waiving sanctions on countries purchasing Russian energy. The campaign reportedly uses social media to sow distrust in U.S. elections and create a sense of chaos, with AI accelerating these efforts, lawmakers said. AI-generated videos targeting James Talarico, a Texas Senate candidate, that emerged after early voting began were likely created by a Russian government-backed group, according to three teams of disinformation researchers on October 22. Russian disinformation campaigns have previously targeted France, Moldova, and the United Kingdom, and have been a feature of U.S. elections since at least 2016.