US intelligence agencies and national security experts have stepped up their attention to Moscow's attempts to influence the electoral process in the United States, using disinformation and modern digital tools, including generative artificial intelligence. According to The New York Times, as cited by Ukrainian and Russian media, intelligence services are tracking Kremlin activity aimed at shaping public opinion ahead of the Congressional midterms scheduled for November 2026. This is not the first such campaign: previously, US intelligence agencies had already reported Russian operations to spread disinformation during US elections.
US Intelligence Assessments
Researchers in Europe and the US who specialize in tracking Russian disinformation campaigns have, in recent weeks, detected signs of new Russian activity. By their observations, a network previously linked to Kremlin trolls published, in two separate waves, a series of video materials on the social networks X and BlueSky. The content was generated using artificial intelligence and contained baseless claims against Democrats running for the Senate.
AI Videos Mimicking Major Media Outlets
The posts used themes that, according to analysts, US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are relying on to discredit opponents: accusations of corruption, antisemitism, and support for gay and transgender rights. Some videos were formatted to look like materials from well-known news organizations, including CNN, BBC, and The New York Times, increasing the risk that false claims will be perceived as credible. US officials emphasize that the development of artificial intelligence makes foreign interference faster and cheaper, and that the scale of future operations will depend on the tools used by foreign states.
Iran and China in the Influence Race
In addition to Russia, Iran and China are using similar tools in their influence campaigns. During the 2020 presidential election, Tehran, according to US authorities, was spreading propaganda undermining Donald Trump's credibility, and officials now consider it entirely reasonable to expect similar attempts to be repeated. Last month, Meta published a report on a small network of accounts on Facebook and Instagram originating from Iran and focused on American politics; some of the content was generated using AI and contained "anti-Republican views." Beijing, according to the NYT, also intends to influence the elections, but its activity is the lowest: China, as noted by current and former US officials, acts more cautiously to avoid exposure, while Russia and Iran are less concerned about their operations becoming public.
Political Context Ahead of the Elections
These operations are unfolding against the backdrop of complex domestic political dynamics in the US. According to recent polls, President Donald Trump's approval rating has risen slightly after falling to a record low, while the Republican Party's position ahead of the Congressional midterms has weakened. It is precisely under such conditions, experts believe, that foreign interference can exert a disproportionately strong influence on public sentiment and voter behavior.
