Officials from U.S. intelligence state that a popular video circulating online, which claims to show the destruction of mail-in ballots in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is a fabrication orchestrated by Russian operatives as part of their obscure strategy to influence the election in favor of former President Donald Trump.

A federal representative shared with YSL News on Friday that this belief stems from the video’s content and its focus on Vice President Kamala Harris, aiming to improve Trump’s electoral prospects.

Shortly after, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) corroborated this evaluation in an official statement alongside the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The video, which began to appear online on Thursday, depicts an unidentified individual opening sealed mail ballots and ripping them up, specifically targeting votes for Trump while discarding those meant for Harris.

“F— Donald Trump,” the man is heard shouting repeatedly as he destroys the ballots.

This incident marks the third occasion this month that U.S. intelligence agencies have officially linked a fraudulent video undermining Harris or her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, to Russian entities, reflecting an ongoing effort to make the American public aware of these deceptive operations.

A fabricated video ‘created and promoted’ by Russian groups

The intelligence community stated in their recent announcement that “Russian actors were responsible for creating and distributing a video falsely depicting an individual shredding ballots in Pennsylvania,” based on accessible intelligence and previous activities of similar Russian influence campaigns, including various disinformation efforts.

The statement elaborated that “This Russian initiative forms part of a larger strategy to raise unsubstantiated doubts regarding the validity of the U.S. election and foster divisions among the populace, as highlighted in past ODNI updates on election security.” They anticipate that in the lead-up to Election Day and beyond, further Russian-created media content may emerge, seeking to erode public trust in the electoral process and create discord among Americans.

Intelligence officials have been actively communicating with the media in Washington regarding ongoing endeavors by Russia, as well as China and Iran, to interfere with the electoral process. They have disclosed previously classified information regarding Russian activities, reportedly directed by President Vladimir Putin, through “Election Security Update” briefings issued to the public.

During the latest briefing, held last Tuesday, officials noted a notable increase in Russia’s efforts to influence the election, particularly to enhance Trump’s chances as the November 5 election approaches. A recent unclassified memo indicated that Russia was behind a fake video falsely accusing Walz of sexual misconduct. Intelligence officials warned that Russian efforts to support Trump and Iran’s attempts to undermine his candidacy due to his stringent stance toward Tehran would persist after the election, especially if Trump contests his potential loss as he has strongly implied.

Officials also indicated on September 23 that Russia had produced and disseminated a widely circulated false video featuring a young girl claiming to be a paralyzed victim of a hit-and-run incident involving Harris in San Francisco.

Video displays typical traits of a Russian disinformation campaign

Bucks County officials publicly acknowledged late Thursday that they were aware of the “fake” video and had alerted the FBI, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General’s office, and the state’s Department of State about the situation.

The next morning, a federal official informed YSL News that the video exhibits characteristics typical of Russian influence operations and has prompted an inquiry by the three federal agencies involved.

This official also conveyed that authorities suspect there are numerous additional fraudulent election videos circulating, featuring individuals posing as Americans to promote pro-Trump and anti-Harris narratives, aimed at generating chaos and undermining confidence in the U.S. electoral framework.

Why would Russia target Bucks County, Pennsylvania?

Recent surveys indicate that the presidential race is exceedingly tight. Consequently, Pennsylvania, particularly Bucks County, an affluent area right outside Philadelphia, is a crucial swing region that could determine the election’s outcome.

In the last two presidential elections, Montgomery and Bucks counties collectively accounted for more votes than Philadelphia, which alone contributed 10% of the 6.1 million votes in the 2020 election and 11.5% of the total votes counted in 2020.

Alongside Luzerne County, Bucks County has the narrowest gap between Republican and Democratic voters, with Republicans comprising roughly 41.6% and Democrats about 41% based on voter registration figures from earlier this month.

Both presidential candidates have placed significant emphasis on Bucks County and adjacent regions. Last week, Trump notably worked at a McDonald’s fryer in Feasterville, later claiming he spent “15 minutes longer than Kamala” doing so at the popular fast-food chain.