US authorities have indicted a Russian national who is accused of running a campaign to cause discord and interfere in elections. The campaign took place in California and was orchestrated by at lest three Russian officials. The campaign ran from December 2014 to March 2022, according to authorities. The individual indicted is Moscow resident Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov. Ionov worked with the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia, which is backed by the Kremlin, to recruit several US political groups, provided financial support to the groups, and persuaded them to publish pro-Russian propaganda.
One of the group’s main goals was to use misinformation to promote California’s succession from the US. Ionov reportedly funded a protest demonstration at the California Capitol building and attempted to persuade members of the group to physically enter the office. In addition to the malicious acts and online influence campaigns in California, Ionov is believed to have sponsored candidates in Florida.
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