A Russian-linked disinformation operation targeting the 2026 midterms has reached Michigan, with U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed among those targeted. Researchers say the campaign is using fabricated news reports, manipulated videos and fake journalist content to influence American voters.
WASNINGTON DC – A Russian-linked disinformation operation using fabricated news reports, manipulated videos and coordinated social-media accounts to target Democratic candidates ahead of the November midterm elections has reached Michigan — with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed among its identified targets.
The Russia-aligned network, known as Operation Overload or Matryoshka, targeted El-Sayed and Democratic candidates in several other states with videos accusing politicians collectively of corruption, antisemitism and misconduct, according to Graphika.
Graphika assessed with high confidence that the Russia-aligned operation produced the narratives. Its public report does not specify which allegation was directed specifically at El-Sayed, so MITechNews is not attributing a particular accusation against him to Russia.
The operation also has impersonated major news organizations, manipulated genuine celebrity footage and produced fake reports claiming Russian interference in the 2026 election is itself a Democratic fabrication.
Now journalists exposing the operation are becoming targets.
David Corn, Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones and author of How Russia Won: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Fight for America, reported on fabricated Mother Jones material produced by the network. Researchers subsequently discovered another bogus video designed to resemble a CNN report featuring Corn and attributing statements to him that he never made.
The developments come as U.S. intelligence assesses Russia as the most active foreign adversary seeking to influence Americans ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to The Washington Post.
They also come after the Trump administration eliminated or sharply reduced several federal operations created to detect foreign influence and assist states with election security.
There is an important distinction for Michigan voters:
There is no evidence that Russia is changing Michigan votes or manipulating Michigan voting machines.
The documented activity is an influence operation — an attempt to affect what Americans see, believe and potentially share before casting their ballots.
Russian Operation Targets El-Sayed
Between Sept. 10 and Sept. 14, likely inauthentic or repurposed accounts distributed videos targeting El-Sayed and other Democratic politicians, according to Graphika’s investigation.
Other targets included U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire and Senate candidates Sherrod Brown, Mary Peltola, Roy Cooper and others.
For Michigan, the significance is straightforward: a Russia-aligned influence operation has targeted a candidate seeking to represent the state in the U.S. Senate.
Fake CNN, BBC And Politico Reports
Graphika also documented videos impersonating or falsely citing BBC, CNN and Politico.
Some promoted an unusual narrative: Democrats supposedly were conducting “false-flag” disinformation operations designed to make Americans believe Russia was interfering in the midterms.
Other fabricated material falsely attributed that allegation to MS NOW journalist Brandy Zadrozny.
The network also repurposed authentic footage of celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker and Julia Roberts, adding material falsely suggesting they promoted the hashtag #AllDemocratsAreCriminals.
Graphika assessed with high confidence that Operation Overload produced those videos.
Journalist Exposes Operation — Then Becomes A Target
Mother Jones also was impersonated.
A fabricated video carrying the publication’s branding claimed the Democratic National Committee paid CNN chief Mark Thompson $259 million so CNN would promote gender transition among children.
The report was fake.
After Mother Jones complained to X, the posts were removed. Corn then wrote about the operation.
Researchers subsequently discovered a fabricated CNN-style video supposedly featuring Corn promoting a book called Enemies of Democracy for Dummies.
The book doesn’t exist.
Corn’s actual book is How Russia Won: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Fight for America.
The bogus video attributed an inflammatory anti-Democratic statement to Corn that he never made.
The journalist investigating the propaganda campaign had become material for another propaganda campaign.
Other AI Falsehoods Target El-Sayed
The Russian campaign isn’t the only source of fabricated information involving Michigan’s Senate race.
An unrelated AI-generated video circulated in August purporting to show El-Sayed appearing with children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel and discussing Israeli “colonizers” with children.
The video wasn’t authentic. Lead Stories analyzed it with an AI-detection system that returned a 100% confidence score that the video was AI-generated. The account responsible described itself as an AI-media operation producing content that was “mostly satire.”
Another false claim alleged that El-Sayed believed America “deserved 9/11.”
FactCheck.org found no evidence supporting that assertion. El-Sayed had explicitly said he did not believe the Sept. 11 attacks were justified.
Neither episode has been connected to Operation Overload.
That distinction matters. False political information can originate with foreign governments, domestic political organizations, anonymous social-media users or AI content creators.
The fact that information is false does not establish who created it.
Trump Administration Reduced Election-Security Operations
The renewed Russian activity comes after the Trump administration eliminated or reduced several federal operations responsible for detecting foreign influence and assisting state election officials.
Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force in February 2025. The Justice Department Inspector General reported that the FBI created the task force in 2017 as a direct result of Russia’s malign influence during the 2016 presidential election.
The administration also sharply reduced staffing at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA. The agency lost nearly one-third of its staff in 2025, according to The Washington Post.
The administration also shuttered the Foreign Malign Influence Center. Federal officials say foreign-influence responsibilities continue elsewhere within the intelligence community.
The administration has defended its restructuring as necessary to eliminate duplication and prevent federal election-security operations from policing Americans’ political speech.
Some state election officials and former federal officials say the reductions have weakened federal-state intelligence sharing.
The administration recently moved to strengthen some defenses. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the NSA, U.S. Cyber Command and military intelligence organizations to prioritize protection against foreign election interference, according to the Associated Press.
Russia And U.S. Elections
Trump repeatedly questioned or rejected conclusions that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
But the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee found the intelligence community’s central conclusion was supported by the evidence: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign targeting the 2016 election.
Russian actors also targeted election infrastructure.
The Senate committee found Russian-affiliated cyber actors scanned state systems, attempted intrusions and in a small number of cases accessed voter-registration databases.
But it found no evidence that vote tallies were manipulated or voter-registration information was deleted or modified.
That same distinction is critical today.
Influencing voters and manipulating votes are two different threats.
Current intelligence reporting identifies Russia as the most active foreign adversary seeking to influence Americans ahead of the midterms. China and Iran also are conducting influence activities.
But U.S. intelligence has detected no signs that foreign adversaries can directly interfere with voting machines or vote counts in the 2026 election, according to The Washington Post.
AI Changes The Threat
Artificial intelligence makes convincing political propaganda easier and cheaper to produce.
Foreign operators can reproduce television-news graphics, imitate voices, manipulate genuine footage and manufacture something resembling a legitimate news report.
For voters, a CNN logo doesn’t necessarily mean CNN produced the video. A recognizable journalist’s face doesn’t necessarily mean the journalist said the words.
Before sharing an explosive political video, voters can check whether the supposed report actually appears on the news organization’s website or verified accounts.
Corn’s experience demonstrates why.
He spent years investigating Russian attempts to influence American politics and recently published a book about them.
Then the operation he was investigating manufactured another version of David Corn.
A foreign influence operation no longer needs to persuade an American journalist to deliver its message. Artificial intelligence allows it to manufacture the journalist instead.
