US Intelligence Confirms Russian Operatives Behind Fake Video of Destroyed Pennsylvania Ballots

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian operatives are responsible for a deceptive video that falsely depicted an individual destroying mail-in ballots in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The video, which circulated on social media on Thursday, was part of a broader Russian initiative to “cast baseless doubts about the integrity of U.S. elections and exacerbate divisions among Americans,” according to a joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The video, which was shared on the platform X, showed a person tearing up ballots allegedly cast for former President Donald Trump while leaving ballots for President Kam Harris untouched. However, the Bucks County Board of Elections promptly refuted the video’s claims, stating that the envelopes and materials shown were not authentic documents used by the county.

Experts, including Darren Linvill from Clemson University‘s Media Forensics Hub, identified the video as part of a Russian disinformation campaign known as Storm-1516. This operation has been linked to several other misleading videos, including one that falsely accused Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz of wrongdoing.

The incident highlights ongoing foreign influence operations aimed at undermining confidence in U.S. elections. Russia, Iran, and China have all been implicated in efforts to sow division and doubt among American voters. The Bucks County GOP and other local authorities have taken steps to counter the misinformation, emphasizing the safety and integrity of mail-in voting.

The video’s rapid spread across social media platforms underscores the challenges in combating disinformation in the digital age. Despite the original post being removed, the video continued to be shared widely on Thursday and Friday, contributing to ongoing concerns about election integrity.