Microsoft warns: Russia begins influencing US elections in last 45 days

Russia’s intervention: Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Russian efforts to influence the upcoming US presidential election have started in the last 45 days, albeit at a slower pace compared to previous elections. According to researchers at the tech giant, Russia-linked accounts are spreading divisive content targeting US audiences, including criticism of American support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

Despite the report, the Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. The Kremlin, however, reiterated last month its stance of non-interference in the November US election and dismissed allegations of orchestrating campaigns in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

While the observed Russian activity is not as intense as in past elections, Microsoft researchers warned that it could escalate in the coming months. They noted a surge in messaging regarding Ukraine over the last two months, involving both covert and overt campaigns from at least 70 Russia-affiliated activity sets tracked by the company.

Among the most active Russian campaigns is one associated with Russia's Presidential Administration. Another campaign aims to spread disinformation online in multiple languages, often starting with content from apparent whistleblowers or citizen journalists on video channels. The content is then amplified by a network of websites including DC Weekly, Miami Chronicle, and The Intel Drop.

Microsoft highlighted a "notable uptick" in hacking activities by a Russian group known as Star Blizzard or Cold River, which targets Western think tanks. The company warned that this focus on US political figures and policy circles could be part of a series of hacking campaigns intended to influence the November elections.

While concerns have been raised about the malicious use of artificial intelligence by foreign actors in US elections, Microsoft's findings indicate that simpler digital forgeries are more common than deepfakes. According to the researchers, audio manipulations have a greater impact than video manipulations. They concluded that the simplest manipulations, rather than complex AI applications, are likely to have the most significant impact on audiences.

(With Reuters inputs)