US security agencies warn of Russian election disinformation blitz in swing states

Avril Haines, the US director of national intelligence. Her office, the ODNI, has warned that Russia is the most active disinformation threat to the US elections. Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP

Russia-linked disinformation operations have falsely claimed officials in battleground states plan to fraudulently sway the outcome of the US presidential election, authorities said a few hours ahead of the opening of polling booths in the 5 November vote.

“Russia is the most active threat,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said on Monday.