US charges Russian broadcaster RT employees, seizes domains for alleged election interference

WASHINGTON

US authorities unsealed an indictment Wednesday against two employees of Russian broadcaster RT and seized 32 internet domains on accusations of interference in the November presidential elections.

The Justice Department said it charged Russian nationals Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

They are accused of being involved "in a $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

He said the internet domains were used by the Russian government and Russian government-sponsored actors to engage in a covert campaign to interfere in and influence the outcome of US elections.

"The charges unsealed this morning do not represent the end of the investigation. It remains active and ongoing," he said at a news conference.

Garland also alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, including Sergei Kiriyenko, directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a campaign to influence the US presidential election.

"An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is to secure Russia’s preferred outcome in the election. The sites we are seizing today were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other countries," he added.

In a statement following the announcement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the department is taking three steps to counter Kremlin-backed media outlets' "malicious operations" to influence the US elections.

Those include introducing a new visa restriction policy, Foreign Missions Act determinations of RT’s parent company Rossiya Segodnya, and other subsidiaries RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Sputnik and Ruptly. The US also will announce a Rewards for Justice offer, said Blinken.

The State Department will also act to "hinder malicious actors from using Kremlin-supported media as a cover to conduct such covert influence activities," said Blinken.

Garland said Russia is not the only foreign power seeking to interfere in US elections, indicating that Washington has observed Iranian activity during the election cycle.

"We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia, and Iran, as well as China or any other malign actor interfering in elections and undermining our democracy," said Garland.