In the digital age, the line between fact and fiction is often blurred, and nowhere is this more dangerous than in the realm of political influence. The power to shape narratives, sway public opinion, and manipulate democratic processes is no longer just the domain of politicians and pundits — it’s a high-stakes game involving shadowy operatives, shell companies, and an arsenal of disinformation tools. The latest indictments from the Department of Justice expose the scale of Russian propaganda campaigns to reveal just how deeply this game is rigged against us.

At the heart of this operation is a well-oiled propaganda machine, targeting the fault lines of American society — free speech, immigration, and even our national pastime of online gaming. And in the backdrop of these revelations looms the 2024 presidential election, a moment ripe for manipulation by foreign actors with the singular goal of deepening our divisions. While these efforts may feel like the plot of a dystopian thriller, they are all too real, with disinformation campaigns working to tilt the scales of democracy in favor of authoritarianism.

Last week, the Department of Justice released a treasure trove of indictments and accompanying information about the depth and breadth of the still ongoing Russian influence campaigns raging in the US and elsewhere — with a particular focus on sowing discord ahead of the US 2024 elections. Let’s take a look at the major pillars of the DOJ’s work.

RT employees and right-wing influencers indicted

On September 3, 2024, the Department of Justice filed an indictment of two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, for covertly funding a Tennessee-based content creation company that published videos promoting Russian interests. According to the indictment, they funneled nearly $10 million through shell companies to spread pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation on U.S. social media platforms. The defendants posed as U.S.-based editors, directing content that amplified domestic divisions and supported Russian government narratives. Both are charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering.

Although not specifically named, there are enough uniquely identifying clues in the document to identify the content company in the scheme as Tenet Media, a company run by married couple Liam Donovan and Lauren Chen — herself a prominent “conservative” commentator associated with Glenn Beck‘s The Blaze and Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA. The six commentators who were being paid exorbitantly by the Russians for their content (as much as $100,000 per video) — all of whom, improbably, claim to have been duped — are Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen, and Lauren Southern. All are outspoken Trump supporters, and are on record parroting Russian talking points despite claiming the work was wholly their own.

Following the news, YouTube terminated five right-wing channels associated with the Russian indictment including that of Tenet Media. Before they were taken down, Wired downloaded the transcripts of the Russian propaganda videos and made the text searchable — revealing themes of sowing political discord in the US around hot button topics such as free speech, illegal immigrants, diversity in video games, supposed racism toward white people, and Elon Musk.

Doppelganger Russian malign influence campaign exposed

On the same day they announced the unsealing of the above indictments of the 2 RT contributors, the DOJ announced it has also disrupted a much larger covert Russian government-sponsored influence operation targeting U.S. and foreign audiences. The operation, known as “Doppelganger,” involved the use of 32 cybersquatted domains, AI-generated content, and social media manipulation to spread disinformation, particularly focused on influencing the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The Justice Department’s actions included seizing the domains and designating individuals and organizations involved, including the Russian companies Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog, working under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration — specifically First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko.

The goal of the Russian campaign is to undermine international support for Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war and promote pro-Russian interests worldwide. One of its prominent tendrils is The Good Old USA Project, designed to sway the U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald Trump (akin to the Project Lakhta employed by the Internet Research Agency during the 2016 elections). It focuses on targeting specific groups such as minorities, residents of key swing states, and online gaming communities. The scheme employed a dedicated full-time team to spread disinformation aimed at undermining Trump’s opponents while amplifying support for pro-Russian narratives and interests, particularly by leveraging AI-generated content and online manipulation to shape public opinion.

In the wake of both influence campaign indictments, the Biden administration has imposed new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities accused of attempting to manipulate public opinion in the U.S. and influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. These sanctions target Russian operatives and IT firms involved in multiple disinformation campaigns, including the spread of propaganda aimed at dividing U.S. citizens on key political and social issues.

The Departments of Justice, State and Treasury worked in tandem on this effort to deter foreign interference in democratic processes, with Attorney General Merrick Garland announcing in a White House briefing that “We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government.”

Former Trump campaign advisor Dimitri Simes charged with violating Russian sanctions

One day after naming a slew of Russian influence campaign architects and targets, the DOJ also handed down indictments against husband and wife dual US-Russian citizens Dimitri and Anastasia Simes, who have been charged with violating U.S. sanctions by providing services to Russia’s state-owned Channel One and laundering over $1 million in payments. Dimitri — a former Trump advisor — acted as a presenter and producer for the Russian broadcaster after sanctions were imposed.

Additionally, his wife Anastasia Simes is charged with aiding sanctioned oligarch Aleksandr Udodov by purchasing and storing art and antiques for him in violation of sanctions. Both face charges of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and money laundering, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Dimitri Simes worked as an advisor to the 2016 Trump campaign, and appeared multiple times in the Robert Mueller report on the Russian interference in the US 2016 election. It sure seems that the truths buried in the Mueller Report by then-Trump toady Bill Barr (who has been trying desperately to mount a reputational rehabilitation tour since the events of January 6) are nevertheless still coming out today — and just in time to warn Americans about the ongoing disturbances to the high stakes 2024 contest around the corner.

WhisperGate hacking of Ukraine, US, and NATO assets by GRU

Lastly (for now) but by no means leastly, the super busy Department of Justice released an affidavit in which five Russian GRU officers and one civilian have been charged with conspiring to hack Ukrainian government entities and critical infrastructure from 2014 to 2022. The GRU is a Russian military intelligence agency (“Russian Main Intelligence Directorate”) notorious for its hacking efforts on behalf of the Putin regime.

These cyberattacks targeted energy companies, transportation systems, and other vital sectors in Ukraine and across the world — including the United States and 25 other NATO countries. The accused used sophisticated malware to disrupt operations and steal sensitive information, with the aim of destabilizing Ukraine’s government and supporting Russia’s geopolitical objectives.

The January 2022 WhisperGate cyberattacks in particular marked a key moment in Russia’s lead-up to the war, according to William DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore field office — who went as far as saying they could be considered Russia’s first shot in the Ukraine war. These attacks breached U.S. companies and Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, targeting sectors such as the judiciary and education. Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security, noted that the attackers also leaked personal data from Ukrainian civilians, including sensitive health information, which was then sold online and used to taunt victims, aiming to undermine public morale.

Russian propaganda: Same old story

The revelations laid bare by these DOJ indictments are a stark reminder of the ongoing war being waged on our democratic institutions. While the names and faces behind these efforts — both foreign and domestic — may shift, the objective remains the same: to fracture the trust that holds our society together. The Russian government’s manipulation of right-wing influencers and covert disinformation networks shows just how far authoritarian regimes are willing to go to disrupt democratic processes, sow chaos, and tilt the playing field in their favor.

As Americans, we stand at a crossroads. The 2024 election will be a pivotal moment, not just for our country, but for the broader global order. If we fail to recognize the sophisticated tactics employed by foreign actors — and the complicit actions of those within our own borders — we risk falling prey to the same forces that undermined elections in the past. This is not just about one election or one administration; it’s about the very integrity of our democratic system.

As these dark forces continue their efforts to distort reality and inflame divisions, it falls upon us — the informed, the vigilant, and the engaged — to fight back. We must question the narratives fed to us, stand firm against disinformation, and refuse to be pawns in a global game of manipulation. Our democracy depends on it.