Russian intelligence attempted to spy on Macron’s election campaign, reports say

There was an attempt by Russian intelligence agents to spy on the election campaign of President Emmanuel Macron earlier this year, reports say.

According to a U.S. congressman and two other people briefed on the effort, Russia made the attempt by creating about two dozen Facebook accounts to conduct surveillance on Macron campaign officials and others close to the centrist former financier as he sought to defeat far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen.

Read also: New Russia sanctions agreed by US govt

Recall in April that Facebook had taken action against fake accounts that were spreading misinformation about the French election. But the effort to infiltrate the social networks of Macron officials has not previously been reported.

Russia has also been condemned by the US for its alleged hacks aimed at swaying the Nov. 8 election for Trump but Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering both in the French election by hacking and leaking emails and documents of U.S. intelligence agencies during the last elections.

 

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