US intelligence agencies warn Russian fake information may lead to violence in swing states

US intelligence has warned that Russia might spread fake materials to destabilise the situation in swing states during today’s US presidential election, increasing the risk of violence.

The joint statement by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), says that US intelligence agencies have been "observing foreign adversaries, particularly Russia, conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of US elections and stoke divisions among Americans" since Friday, 1 November.

They expect these activities to intensify throughout election day and in the weeks to come, and that foreign influence narratives will focus on swing states.

"Russia is the most active threat. Influence actors linked to Russia in particular are manufacturing videos and creating fake articles to undermine the legitimacy of the election, instil fear in voters regarding the election process, and suggest Americans are using violence against each other due to political preferences," the joint statement reads.

These efforts risk inciting violence, the agencies added, including against election officials.

"We anticipate Russian actors will release additional manufactured content with these themes through election day and in the days and weeks after polls close," the statement also says.

Iran also remains a significant foreign influence threat to US elections, according to the statement.

Voters are advised to seek out information from trusted, official sources, such as state and local election officials.

Presidential elections are underway in the US today, 5 November, with results from the first polling station, the village of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire, already released.