Russia has given $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries to gain influence.
This disclosure had been made in a declassified US intelligence assessment on Tuesday.
According to the US intelligence, these are minimum figures and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds secretly in cases that have gone undetected.
In one of the most egregious cases cited in the new assessment, US intelligence said that the Russian ambassador in an unnamed Asian country provided millions of dollars to a presidential candidate.
The declassified assessment did not give details on specific countries. But an official of US administration alleged that Russia spent around $500,000 to back Albania’s center-right Democratic Party in 2017 elections and also bankrolled parties or candidates in Bosnia, Montenegro and Madagascar.
The source said that Russia has also used Brussels as a hub for foundations and other fronts that back far-right candidates, and that Russia’s embassy in Ecuador was sent “large amounts” of money from 2014 to 2017, apparently with a mission to swing elections.
According to the US assessment, Russia used fake contracts and shell companies in Europe and directly funneled covert funding in Central America, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
Russia has at times sent cash but has also made use of crypto-currencies and “lavish” gifts, it said.
