Title: Why Vladimir Putin's Russia Is Backing Donald Trump
Headings: Why Vladimir Putin's Russia Is Backing Donald Trump
Why Vladimir Putin's Russia Is Backing Donald Trump
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An employee holds up masks depicting Clinton and Trump at Hollywood Toys & Costumes in Los Angeles, on October 26. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

Content: Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, did not respond to emails from Newsweek on Monday and Thursday asking how it became aware of the Sputnik story so quickly, why it almost immediately promoted information from the Russian propaganda site to U.S. reporters, and what led the Republican nominee to disregard the intelligence he has been provided in briefings about Moscow's propaganda and hacking campaign. Newsweek subscription offers >
American intelligence officials know Russia used cyberattacks and misinformation to interfere with recent elections in Western Europe, including the German elections last month that resulted in victories for right-wing populists, and the United Kingdom's vote in June on Brexit, a referendum that called for Britain to leave the European Union. Western intelligence and law enforcement say tens of thousands of people have been working with Russia on its hacking and disinformation campaign for many years. They include propagandists and cyberoperatives stationed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk, located in the southwestern part of Siberia. Operations have also been conducted in the United States, primarily out of New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Those involved include a large number of Russian émigrés, as well as Americans and other foreign nationals. Intelligence operations in Europe and the U.S. have determined that the money these émigrés receive for their work is disguised as payments from a Russian pension system. One U.S. official says there is evidence many of these Americans and foreign nationals do not know they are part of Russia's propaganda operation. People hold up signs supporting Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during a campaign event in Pensacola, Florida, on November 2. Carlo Allegri/Reuters
Here is how Moscow operates its campaigns: