DISINFO: There is no evidence of Russian interference in Western elections
SUMMARY
There is no evidence of Russian interference in Western elections. It is almost a tradition: as soon as elections take place somewhere, preferably in Western countries, warnings of possible Russian influence make the rounds. In the run-up to the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament, this concern is also a worry for those responsible in the EU countries. However, there are no indications of any such activities from the Russian side.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that allegations of Russian interference in electoral processes in the EU and in the West are spread by European elites in order to divert attention from the real problems of EU countries. Disinformation produced and/or spread by Russian sources has been reported in the context of several elections and referenda in the EU, as noted in the EU's action plan against disinformation. Ahead of the European elections 2019, Microsoft registered cyberattacks targeting think tanks and non-profit organisations working on topics related to democracy, electoral integrity, and public policy and that are often in contact with government officials. Microsoft continues to investigate the sources of these attacks, but is confident that many of them originated from a group called Strontium, also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear – which is believed to be associated with Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Read more here. Moreover, numerous investigations have provided convincing evidence of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum and in elections across Europe and in the US - see more information here, here and here. See here for the list of the reports on Russian efforts to influence elections in various European countries.