Politics US intelligence agencies: Election meddling remains Russia's target

Ahead of the highly anticipated US election, American intelligence agencies are warning of attempted manipulation of the vote by Russia - including on election day and in the weeks afterwards. "Russia is the most active threat. In particular, Russia-linked influence actors are producing videos and creating fake articles to undermine the legitimacy of the election, scare voters about the electoral process, and suggest that Americans are using violence against each other based on political preferences," several US intelligence agencies said in a joint statement.

It is "expected that these activities will intensify on Election Day and in the coming weeks, and that narratives of foreign influence will focus on swing states", the statement continued. Iran also remains a threat in this context.

In the extremely politically heated climate in the USA, many Americans are worried that there could be riots or other acts of violence on the fringes of the presidential election. The social divide is being exacerbated by fake news, polarizing opinion pieces and inflammatory videos on social media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian groups have been accused for years of using manipulative tactics to influence elections in the USA. There is also a lot at stake for Russia in Tuesday's vote - if Donald Trump wins, Ukraine will have to fear for the important support of the USA in the war against Russia.

SDA