The indictment -- which includes the first charges laid by special counsel Robert Mueller for election interference -- detailed a stunning operation launched in 2014 in a bid to sow social division in the US and influence American politics "including the presidential election of 2016." Four Trump campaign officials, including his campaign manager Paul Manafort and his national security advisor Michael Flynn, have already been indicted as part of Mueller's broader investigation. An unnamed Texas-based American political operative is said to have instructed them to focus on so-called "purple states" -- which swing between Republican and Democratic control. In carrying out the influence campaign, Prigozhin's group is accused of buying US social security numbers and bank account numbers. But this is the modern American political reality."

Source: The Nation Bangkok February 17, 2018 02:26 UTC