Dead Drop: September 13

GOOD OLD USA: It’s exhausting following all the detail in various U.S. Department of Justice releases recently regarding Russian efforts to interfere in the 2023 U.S. presidential election. One example was news about the U.S. seizing 32 internet domains that officials say were “used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as “Doppelganger.” Prosecutors say some Russians registered a site called washingtonpost.pm to fool people into thinking they were getting their information from washingtonpost.com. The bogus site had fake articles like one with the headline, “No More Money: Kremlin Will Solve Ukraine’s Problems.”  The DOJ also unsealed indictments against two Russian nationals working for RT who, according to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, “co-opted online commentators by funneling them nearly $10 million to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences.” The indictment said the money went to an unnamed Tennessee -based company that was almost instantly identified by reporters as a company called “Tenet Media.” (Note – we are very reliably informed that that outfit has absolutely nothing to do with a former CIA Director of the same name, despite internet rumors to the contrary. Wonder who started those?) The Russian plan to use U.S. influencers as puppets was reportedly known within the Kremlin as the “Good Old USA Project.” According to an affidavit released by DOJ, the Russian Social Design Agency has a list of 2,800 people identified around the world as influencers – with about twenty percent being in the U.S.  There is also said to be another list of 1,900 “anti-influencers” who regularly post content “that the SDA Views as contrary to Russian objectives.” Also in the news recently, was Dmitri Simes (who we told you about a couple weeks ago.)  Simes and his wife Anastasia, of Huntly, Virginia, have been “at large” in Russia for a couple years.  But Dmitri, who hosts a show on Russian TV these days, and the missus were charged with money laundering and sanctions violations. Meanwhile, Russia Media Monitor Julia Davis posted a clip from Russian State TV featuring host Vladimir Solovyov discussing the indictments, speculating as to who might be charged next (possibly Tucker Carlson he thought) and suggesting that all involved should be offered asylum in Russia. Solovyov laughed about a fake “endorsement” of Kamala Harris by Vladimir Putin and promised that “gullible Americans will believe Putin was serious.” Phew. But there was a lot more. In the UK, Russia doesn’t just influence people, it sometimes tries to kill them and sometimes even succeeds. What have the Brits learned about Russian operations in the homeland?  Tune into the latest episode of The Cipher Brief’s new weekend talk show, The World Deciphered as host Suzanne Kelly asks former senior member of the British Foreign Office Nick Fishwick that very question.

CHANGE AT THE TOP:  Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked at a press conference recently if he was willing to stay in his job, if he’s asked to do so, during the next administration.  Blinken seemed to take a pass saying, “As to my own future, all I’m looking at right now is the balance of this administration and January. And I can tell you from having spent some time over the last week on … break with my kids, I will relish having a lot more time with them.” Well, seeing as Blinken is a former Cipher Brief expert, we of course, are always here for him.  But should Kamala Harris win the election, speculation is rampant about who might ask to serve as SECSTATE? One name heard frequently is current CIA Director Bill Burns. But should Harris not win in November – there will, of course, be wholesale change at the top of federal agencies.  The Wall Street Journal recently published a plethora of names of people who might end up with jobs leading the Intelligence Community.