US Claims Russia Spent USD 300 Million To Covertly Influence World Politics

Russia has secretly sent at least USD 300 million to foreign political parties and candidates since 2014 in an effort to influence global politics, the U.S. State Department said. It is reported by DW on Wednesday, September 14.

The U.S. State Department noted that Russia tried to gain influence in more than two dozen countries through bribery. Recently released intelligence accused Moscow of sending funds to politicians friendly to them around the world, DW reports.

“A government source familiar with the findings alleged that Russia funded Albania's center-right Democratic Party to the tune of USD 500,000 in 2017, and also bankrolled parties or candidates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Madagascar. "We think this is just the tip of the iceberg," one official told reporters on condition of anonymity,” the publication states.

American intelligence noted that Russia has a bilateral strategy: to increase the state of sponsored candidates and gain influence in political parties. Some funds were allegedly transferred through organizations in Belgium, the Russian Embassy in Ecuador, or using cryptocurrency. The U.S. State Department said that Moscow plans to transfer "at least hundreds of millions" in the future in an attempt to overcome sanctions.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on September 6, European media reported that Hungary intends to block the continuation of a number of sanctions against Russia.

At the end of August, it became known that the Hungarian authorities opposed visa restrictions for Russians, which some European Union countries had previously proposed.

We also reported that Hungary categorically refuses to provide military assistance to Ukraine so as not to provoke Russia.