In October, emails leaked by Ukrainian hacker group, CyberJunta, were verified as coming from one of Putin’s right hand men, Vladislav Surkov. (Link) The emails outline plans to destabilize the government of Ukraine by creating dissent to force early presidential and parliamentary elections. Surkov planned to back conservative Nationalist and Separatist Ukraine politicians that would serve as puppets for Russia.

“It is necessary to create favorable conditions for controllable political forces to enter the new parliament”

Surkov is considered the person who created Russia’s current political organization and has been on the sanctions list of the United States and the European Union since 2014 due to his role in Russia’s annexation of Crimea. 

So Russian Hacking and interference isn’t anything new. It just hadn’t happened in the United States yet. Time for us to up our game.