Now, the US is probing Americans who contribute to Russian TV programmes; FBI raided two of them

Ahead of the United Statespresidential election, American authorities are investigating some US citizens who had worked with or contributed to Russian state media, amid fears that Moscow's intelligence agencies are trying to muddy the waters of American politics through propaganda campaigns.

Citing official sources, the New York Times reported on Wednesday (Aug 22) that the FBI had raided the homes of two commentators who appear on Russian channels like RT, which broadcasts in English. One of them was a former advisor to ex-president Donald Trump.

The broad criminal investigation will look into whether several laws were violated, including one sanctioning Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, and another on lobbying for foreign countries and entities.

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The probe came after intelligence findings that Russian state media is "working with its intelligence agencies to sway elections around the world," the report said.

There have been reports that the Russian government of President Vladimir Putin has thrown its weight behind Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, "creating online news outlets and fake videos to denigrate President Biden" and Democratic presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris.

FBI raids on pro-Russia commentators in the US

Those who were raided this month were Scott Ritter and Dimitri K Simes. Ritter's house in New York was searched for hours on August 7 by the FBI and state police, who seized mobile phones, computers and hard drives. Simes' 132-acre estate near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia was raided on August 13.

Russia is influencing American elections, again

The Director of National Intelligence had warned on July 29 that Russia was exploiting Americans to create and spread narratives favourable to Moscow. “These personalities post content on social media, write for various websites with overt and covert ties to the Russian government, and conduct other media efforts,” the office said in a statement.

In July, the Justice Department shut down a campaign aimed at sowing discord in the US and other countries and spreading Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

These accounts were created by Russians using artificial intelligence tools, according to the department.

The operation waslinked to Russia’s Federal Security Service and RT.

Who is Scott Ritter?

Scott Ritter is a former United Nations weapons inspector who has been openly critical of American foreign policy. Ritter has been a contributing writer for RT.

He travelled to Russia and Russian-held parts of Ukraine in January.

The warrant for the raid on his house cited the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which mandates that anyone who worksfor foreign governments and their official media should register as a foreign agent.

Who is Dimitri K Simes?

Dimitri KSimes, whose 132-acre estate near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia was raided on August 13,was an aide to Trump during his first presidential campaign in 2016.

An American citizen who escaped the Soviet Union as a young man in the 1970s, Simes is being investigated for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the legal foundation for imposing economic sanctions, according to the NYT report.

(With inputs from agencies)