### Russian-Linked Fake Video Claims Haitian Migrants Voting in Georgia Elections

U.S. intelligence has identified a fake video featuring Haitian migrants purportedly voting in Georgia elections as a product of Russian influence operations. In the misleading clip, two individuals allege they are voting multiple times across different counties for Vice President Kamala Harris. They say they voted in Gwinnett County one day and were planning to vote in Fulton County the next, even displaying what they claimed were valid driver's licenses.

The false video gained traction through right-wing social media accounts but was quickly debunked by U.S. intelligence and local officials. "The U.S. Intelligence Community assesses that Russian influence actors manufactured a recent video that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia," stated a joint report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). They also highlighted that such disinformation tactics are not new but are part of ongoing Russian efforts to instigate doubts about the election's integrity.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was quick to dismiss the video's authenticity, labeling it as "obviously fake." He suggested it was likely the work of Russian trolls aiming to create confusion and division just before the election. The intelligence report emphasized that this video is part of a broader scheme by Moscow to cast unwarranted doubts about the U.S. election process and exacerbate societal divisions.

The state's electoral importance is underlined by its status as one of the key swing states in the impending presidential elections. With more than half the voters already participating in early voting, Georgia's outcome is highly anticipated. The state flipped from former President Donald Trump in 2016 to President Joe Biden in 2020, underscoring its critical role in the upcoming elections.

In another related development, Haitian migrants have recently been the center of baseless accusations in Springfield, Ohio. Amplified by figures such as Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, these claims asserted that migrants were involved in pet consumption, adding to the heightened political drama.

According to a recent ODNI report, Russia seems to prefer a Trump victory, while Iran shows a preference for Harris. Both nations are working actively to meddle in the U.S. elections. The report elaborated that Moscow has been pushing negative narratives about Vice President Harris and spreading conspiracy theories about her political ascent. In contrast, Iranian cyber actors may attempt to publish content critical of former President Trump.

The intelligence community also cautioned that China, Iran, and Russia have improved their tactics based on lessons from the 2020 election cycle. While altering vote counts remains improbable due to the security of voting systems, these foreign actors may focus their efforts on disrupting the election process by sowing doubts during the extended vote counting period.

Intelligence officials maintain a high alert as these countries continue their endeavors to disrupt and discredit the U.S. electoral system as Election Day approaches. They also linked Moscow to another unverified claim about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of these disinformation campaigns.