U.S. 'Incredibly Concerned' About Russian Disinformation In Europe, Georgia

The Russian Government "uses disinformation to spread lies and rumors across Europe and across the world," the State Department said on Tuesday, TURAN's Washington correspondent report.

When asked by TURAN about increasing Russian disinformation across Europe in a run-up to this weekend's European elections, Spokesperson Matthew Miller told a daily briefing that the U.S. has been 'incredibly concerned' about Russian disinformation.

"This was a significant subject of conversation at the NATO foreign ministers meeting last week in Prague, something the Secretary raised, and not only raised but then heard significant concern about from our European partners," he added.  

Miller went on to elaborate: "We have seen the Russian Government use disinformation against its own people. We have seen the Russian Government use disinformation to spread lies and rumors across Europe and across the world.  And we continue to consult with our partners about the best way to respond to that."

TURAN also asked Miller about the latest Russian disinformation campaign around Georgia, claiming that the U.S. was "planning to implement a new Maidan" ahead of parliamentary elections there.

"I think the answer I just gave about the disinformation that you see from the Kremlin probably applies here pretty well," Miller said in response.

He went on to add, "What you have seen in Georgia over the past few weeks is the Georgian people’s expression of their will and their opposition to this Kremlin-backed law that the Georgian Government has passed. It has nothing to do with the United States; it has to do with the people of Georgia expressing their own views."

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin was quoted as claiming that the West "may be planning to overthrow the government of Georgia" as tensions continue to boil over in the country after the recent passing of the Kremlin-backed “foreign influence” law.