Russia's war against Ukraine has not dampened the Kremlin's desire to interfere in the 2024 US presidential election.
Russian intelligence is monitoring situation in United States
Director of the US National Security Agency Paul Nakasone said that Russia still has the ability to interfere in the US presidential election despite the exhausting war against Ukraine.
This is an important year for them. They're looking at this (the US election — ed.), and I think given the challenge they have in Ukraine, it's obvious that this is something they want to influence, he said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray also agreed with Nakasone's opinion.
In any case, you can argue that their focus on Ukraine has increased their desire to focus on trying to shape how we look and how we think about issues, because US policy has a deep connection to their completely unprovoked and outrageous invasion of Ukraine, he said.
Earlier, Sean Newell, the Deputy Chief with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National Security Division (NSD), Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), said that the focus of Russian intelligence services on Ukraine is beneficial to the United States.
"All of the Russian intelligence services that we monitor every day for activity against the United States are now devoting their time and attention to Ukraine for obvious reasons, Newell said.
However, he added that Russian intelligence continues to study how it could affect US support for Ukraine.
Senior US intelligence officials have identified Russia, China and Iran as the main players seeking to interfere in the US elections.
What is known about elections in USA
The next US presidential election is scheduled for 5 November 2024.
According to forecasts, the current US leader Joe Biden will be the main candidate for the Democrats, and former US President Donald Trump will be the main candidate for the Republicans.
However, on 28 December 2023, Maine Election Commissioner Shanna Bellows removed Trump from the ballot for the 2024 election. The decision is based on the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits the organisers and participants of the rebellion, who were found guilty by the court of storming the Capitol by Trumpists on 6 January 2021, from participating in the elections.
On 20 December, the Colorado Supreme Court also banned Trump from participating in the state's primary due to the 14th Amendment. Trump's team appealed the decision to the US Supreme Court.
Later, it became known that the procedure for removing Trump from the voter lists for the presidential election had begun in 34 US states.
