Russia spread false claims about the U.S. government’s response to hurricanes Helene and Milton in an effort to sow discontent and undermine public support for Ukraine, according to a new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
The report, released Thursday, analyzed Russian state-affiliated media outlets and social accounts from Sept. 24 to Oct. 17. It found the Kremlin has been “leveraging” the hurricanes to amplify existing narratives that criticize the U.S. government’s disaster relief efforts and, according to the ISD, advance its own agenda.
“Russian media outlets highlight themes of alleged administrative failure, inadequate Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response, and the prioritization of foreign and migrant aid over US citizens, attempting to exploit existing frustrations among certain political groups in the US,” the report read.
“These campaigns are particularly effective because they latch onto narratives already circulating within US political discourse,” the report added. “Rather than creating entirely new types of disinformation, Russian media primarily amplifies false or misleading claims originating from US sources, typically with a delay of several days.”
The tactic “allows Russian actors to insert themselves into ongoing discussions, giving content a veneer of credibility by tying it to domestic concerns,” the report read.
False information related to FEMA disaster relief efforts became a significant issue for the administration in the aftermath of the hurricanes. FEMA created a new website for the purpose of debunking rumors about the federal response and about resources available to victims of the disasters.
The report expressed concern that “Russian disinformation campaigns are generally spreading unchecked across platforms,” which, it found, “is especially prominent on X (formerly Twitter).”
Russian state-affiliated outlets, the report found, have “heavily promoted comments” from X owner Elon Musk suggesting U.S. support for Ukraine was detracting from the FEMA budget and from former President Trump criticizing President Biden’s disaster relief response.
By amplifying messages from public figures, according to the report, Russia is “avoiding direct responsibility while pushing narratives aligned with their geopolitical interests.”
“By focusing on directly linking alleged government failures and US aid to Ukraine, Russia attempts to paint the Ukraine aid as actively harmful to US citizens in order to reduce public support for financial and material aid for the conflict,” the report said.
The report said this strategy of amplifying existing narratives fits within a “broader pattern of Russian interference” and encouraged Americans to be aware of these efforts ahead of the election.