U.S.: Russia has spent $300 mil to covertly influence world politics

The cable released Tuesday cites a new intelligence assessment of Russia's global covert efforts to support policies and parties sympathetic to Moscow

"NEW intelligence"? Sigh, we knew Russia sent spies into Egypt voer ten years ago during the Arab Springs to learn how social media was used, then proceeded to exploit Twitter, Facebook etc. to influence elections in America. The only thing new is that Ukraine knows exactly what Russia was up to.

Putin is finished as a world leader, and Russia is teetering on being backed into cold war MK2, by its own doing. May be Putin wants a cold war, who knows, and may be Xi has told Putin a new cold war with China on side might win over the west this time round.

IMHO, we're going to be in for a very unstable world in the near future. A world that 'might have been averted had the Biden team weren't so much in a hurry to show his cards to Putin (on Ukraine), ie the west could have just told Putin NATO has no intention of accepting Ukraine into the fold for 'now'.

So, that's what, 1% of what the US spent over the same period?

Would be nice if they'd put it in context rather than pretend otherwise.

As it is, it's sort of like Coke announcing how much Pepsi spent in 'covert kickbacks to retailers and restaurants to carry their products' while neglecting to mention they pay more (officially, it's called payments for shelf space, or for displaying the logo)

I agree this figure is meaningless unless compared to how much the other guys spent. The American and the Pooh Bear"s Peoples Army meddling figures must dwarf the Russian piddlestick economy anyhoo.

No doubt $250 of the $300 million went to the Trump Defend the election fund....