Sensational secret US intel memo warns of Russian meddling in 2020 elections; agencies mum

Department of Homeland Security and FBI warned states earlier this year that Russia could look to interfere in 2020 U.S. elections by covertly vising political candidates and campaigns, according to a law enforcement memo obtained by Associated Press.

February 3 document details tactics US officials believe Russia could use to interfere in this year's elections, including secretly vising candidates and campaigns. It says that though officials “have t previously observed Russia attempt this action against United States,” political strategists working for a business mogul close to President Vlimir Putin have been involved in political campaigning in numerous African countries.

memo underscores how Trump ministration officials are continuing to sound alarms about prospect of future Russian interference in American politics even as President Donald Trump has sought to downplay Kremlin's involvement in his 2016 win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Because it was prepared before coronavirus outbreak, memo does t reflect how pandemic might affect tactics Russia might use to interfere with election. A spokeswoman for Department of Homeland Security h immediate comment Monday, and an FBI spokeswoman declined to comment.

document, described as a “reference aid” and titled “Possible Russian Tactics Ahe of 2020 US Election,” does t identify particular candidates or campaigns that Russia might support through its actions. US officials have said Russia supported Trump in 2016 and took steps to help his campaign and harm Clinton's candidacy. Intelligence officials briefed lawmakers in February about Russian interests in this year's election. Russia has denied interference.

More generally, memo warns of eight possible Russian tactics for this year's elections, dividing concerns into what officials say are “high" threats and “moderate” threats. Among high threats are possibility Russia could hack and leak information like it did in 2016 campaign, when emails stolen from Clinton campaign by Russian military hackers were published by WikiLeaks.

Or high threats include that Russia could use “state-controlled media arms to propagate election-med narratives to target audiences," use ecomic and business levers to influence political objectives inside US, and rely on fake social media personas to promote Russian interests and sway American opinion.

Lesser, or “moderate,” threats include targeting or manipulating election infrastructure, such as voter databases and vote-tallying systems, and providing financial support to American political candidates or campaigns. possibility Kremlin could covertly vise candidates and campaigns is also described as a moderate threat, but it's teworthy because this is t a concern US officials routinely highlight in public when y warn of Russian election interference.

memo says “Russia has sought to take vant of countries that have perceived loopholes in laws preventing foreign campaign assistance.” That tactic has t yet been observed in United States, officials wrote, though document tes that Russian strategists believed to be working for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy businessman kwn as “Putin's chef” because of his ties to Putin, “were involved in political campaigning in approximately 20 African countries during 2019."

An October report from Stanford Internet Observatory detailed a social media operation in multiple African countries, attributed to Prigozhin-linked entities, that supported certain candidates, created ps to resemble reliable news cover and published content and narratives consistent with Russia's foreign policy aims.

Prigozhin was among Russians indicted in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation for his role in a furtive social media campaign aimed at sowing discord among Americans ahe of 2016 U.S. election. document is unclassified but marked as “For Official Use Only." It was prepared by cyber experts at Department of Homeland Security and FBI and coordinated with or federal ncies. AP obtained it through a public records request.