The Sloppy Russian Schemers Impersonating Top U.S. Officials

As Russia’s opposition leaders in exile grapple with the death of Alexei Navalny, disinformation operators are already working to stir the pot.

In the days after Navalny died, a Russian disinformation site that peddles pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine narratives posted a story alleging audio had “leaked” of two U.S. officials discussing which opposition leader would take his place.

Over the course of the conversation, the two people—purportedly Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Jim O’Brien—decide to support Leonid Volkov, a close ally of Navalny’s who works as the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s Political Director.

Read more at The Daily Beast.