CyberScoop reports that bounties of up to $10 million have been offered by the U.S. State Department's Rewards for Justice Program for any tip on Russian media outlet Rybar, which has been accused of engaging in U.S. election-targeted propaganda.
Numerous online platforms have been established by Rybar to sow political and social divisions in the U.S. and advance Russia's political interests in the country ahead of the presidential election, including the #HOLDTHELINE and #STANDWITHTEXAS social media channels, as well as the "TEXASvsUSA" channel on X, formerly known as Twitter, according to the State Department. Such a development comes as the U.S. intensifies its efforts to curtail foreign election interference and Russian propaganda, with Russian state-owned media organization RT and other related firms subjected to sanctions last month over their involvement in both influence operations and the covert support of a website providing equipment and weapons to Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
