A secret CIA assessment reveals President Vladimir Putin is “probably” the Russian official who is directing his country’s covert disinformation campaign attacking Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and the U.S. election with the intent of installing President Donald Trump in the White House for a second term. That secret report also says the Russians are working to sow discord in the U.S.
“We assess that President Vladimir Putin and the senior most Russian officials are aware of and probably directing Russia’s influence operations aimed at denigrating the former U.S. Vice President, supporting the U.S. president and fueling public discord ahead of the U.S. election in November,” the first line of the document says, according to the sources, The Washington Post reports.
The report also states the Russian foreign influence campaign involves radical Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach, who has ties to President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The CIA assessment does not name Giuliani but refers to a “prominent” person connected to the Trump campaign.
Derkach was recently identified as a Russian spy by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the U.S. Treasury Dept.
“The CIA assessment described Derkach’s efforts in detail and said that his activities have included working through lobbyists, members of Congress and U.S. media organizations to disseminate and amplify his anti-Biden information,” the Post adds.