US officials: Russia behind spread of virus disinformation

[tinrobot]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow’s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort meant to reach American and Western audiences, U.S. government officials said. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose what they say is a clear link between the sites and Russian intelligence.

Read more: https://apnews.com/3acb089e6a333e051dbc4a465cb68ee1

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I always suspected the anti-mask movement has support from foreign sources. This is just more confirmation. Not wearing a mask and having large gatherings align perfectly with Putin's agenda.

[dalton99a]

1. Kick

Though U.S. officials have warned before about the spread of disinformation tied to the pandemic, they went further on Tuesday by singling out a particular information agency that is registered in Russia, InfoRos, and that operates a series of websites — InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org and OneWorld.press — that have leveraged the pandemic to promote anti-Western objectives and to spread disinformation.

Officials say the sites promote their narratives in a sophisticated but insidious effort that they liken to money laundering, where stories in well-written English — and often with pro-Russian sentiment — are cycled through other news sources to conceal their origin and enhance the legitimacy of the information.

The sites also amplify stories that originate elsewhere, the government officials said.

[Lithos]

2. Thought it was obvious

Two of Putin's biggest resources, Trump and Don Jr., have both been spreading disinformation whenever and wherever they can.

[IronLionZion]

3. They're doing the same with the protests

spreading complete falsehoods

[bringthePaine]

4. GOP co-conspirators spread the same kind of shit - surprise! Red states indeed...

[TomCADem]

17. GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert Suggests Mask Wearing Gave Him Coronavirus

No wonder Russia is working to support Republicans. They will happily run with the disinformation football.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-rep-louie-gohmert-who-refused-to-wear-a-mask-now-has-coronavirus

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) on Wednesday suggested that he contracted coronavirus because he wore a mask more frequently in recent days.

“I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t been wearing a mask so much in the last 10 days or so, I really wonder if I would have gotten it,” he said in an interview with The American Independent.

In a later statement on Twitter, he explained that he often touches his face while wearing his mask to make it comfortable. “I can’t help but wonder if that put some germs in the mask,” he said.

The Texas lawmaker, who tested positive on Wednesday morning, had previously made a point of refusing to wear a mask while in the Capitol.

[soothsayer]

5. Drumpf has never heard this, wont ask his handler Putin about it

[tinrobot]

6. I think we need to paint anti-maskers as pro-Putin.

Turn it into a patriotism issue. Ask them why they want to hurt their fellow Americans.

I've done it a few times to acquaintances online when they start talking abut "My freedoms". Pulling the patriotism card really stumps them.

[lark]

7. Doing drumpfs work for him. Bet stealing the election is what the 2 have been discussing.

PUtin tells him what he's doing and tell assmouth what to do and how to respond to amass the most destruction to our laws, people and the country as a whole. Drumpf does as told because he knows otherwise he is definitely in jail and loses everything because of his criminal treachery.

[yaesu]

8. Yet Barr claims its all a hoax, while tRumps fixer in in control & the fascists have control

of all our security agencies nothing will be done to protect this country from russia.

[Initech]

9. Does Putin own stock in plexiglass manufacturers?

[Trenzalore]

10. I'm sure Trump took Putin to task for this

[beachbumbob]

11. so trump been using theirplaybook?? I wonder

[tinrobot]

12. Trump IS their playbook.

He's so anxious to impress Putin, he'll do anything. It's that whole daddy complex.

[DFW]

13. I already saw a suspect report on Alternet about the EU's impending collapse

If you click on the photo with Merkel and Macron, it gives „kremlin.ru“ as the source.

[TomVilmer]

14. Nobody need Russia's help to act stupid...

... we are much better at it than Putin's bad propaganda. But this story is BS. Yes, these "news sites" are based in Russia, and this is not hidden. But Putin is not smart enough to pay good money for such dezinformatsia, when it also smears himself and his country - and this is what the one called OneWorld.press does.

An example is this article which informs in a quite sceptical way about how Putin is forcing the schools to "cultivate loyalty to the government through the educational system". And then complains about how bad such a national-patriotic education is, both in Russia and Ukraine.

For me the most fun was to see a map of my own country Denmark, still including Saint Croix in the Virgin Islands - which I thought was sold to the US in 1916. So the fact checking is not a big issue for these news sites...



Generally, when a president like Trump is openly supporting witch doctors - Russia has very little to offer!

[Duppers]

19. Truth! ☝

[Botany]

15. US officials: Russia behind spread of virus disinformation

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. Such as that from the demon sperm lady?

[Steelrolled]

18. Let me get this straight

Russia wants to amplify the crisis to ensure that Trump does NOT get elected? I'm just trying to keep up.

In reference to another story from today, could it be that Madonna is working for the Russians?

/s

Edit to add: Like many many stories these days, this one is based on anonymous "government officials". A lot of these kinds of stories turn out to be BS. It seems we don't need Russia for disinformation, we got plenty of sources here.

[bobGandolf]

20. And here I thought...

that the disinformation was from Radical conservative groups in the U.S.

[tinrobot]

21. Seriously, is there any difference?