Russian spy is charged with stoking racial division in US by funding Florida-based black socialist movement that organized petition claiming America is committing 'GENOCIDE against African people'
- Russian national Alexander Ionov is accused of attempting sow unrest in the United States by infiltrating various political groups
- The main focus of Ionov, 32's, efforts was the Florida-based African People's Socialist Party
- Following the announcement of the charges against Ionov, the group's headquarters was raided by the FBI
- One of their leaders said in a press conference: 'We are on the side of Russia'
- Ionov lives in Moscow and is not in custody
A Russian spy has been charged with bankrolling three American activist groups to spread pro-Putin propaganda and try to meddle in US elections.
Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, 32, was indicted by the US Justice Department Friday, although he remains in Moscow, and took to Facebook to moan about the charges.
His alleged behavior reflects what U.S. officials say are ongoing Russian government efforts to meddle in the American political process, to shape public opinion and to sow discord and dissent on hot-button social issues.
Ionov is believed to spy for Russia's feared FSB security services, the successor to its infamous KGB. His main target was an African rights' group based in St Petersburg, Florida, with whom he held a YouTube seminar to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The suspect confirmed he was charged saying: 'The United States Attorney General filed a criminal case against me.'
FBI Special Agent in Charge David Walker in Tampa called the latest Russian efforts to destabilize American society 'some of the most egregious and blatant violations we´ve seen.'
Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov pictured at an event in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Ionov pictured during a Zoom meeting with Akile Anai, who describes herself as director of agitation and propaganda for the African People´s Socialist Party
'The Russian intelligence threat is continuous and unrelenting,' Walker said. 'Today´s actions should serve as a deterrent.'
On the day that Ionov's indictment was announced, the FBI raided the headquarters of the African People's Socialist Party in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Documents describe them as a St. Petersburg, Florida group whose leaders were aware that Ionov and his group were agents of a foreign government.
Prosecutors say Ionov in 2015 directed the group to write a petition alleging that the U.S. had committed genocide against African people in America, and to send it to the United Nations, the White House and to Change.org.
The document, titled 'Petition to the United Nations on Crime of Genocide against African People in the United States,' notes America´s history of slavery and denial of civil rights for Black people.
It argues the U.S. government still fails 'to protect our health and well-being as expected under full citizenship' and inflicts 'state or state-supported violence and terror on us.'
The petition, which is still available online, is labeled as being from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement, a Black international socialist organization.
At the time of writing, the petition has over 110,000 signatures.
A Change.org petition that Ionov was behind remains online and has achieved over 110,000 signatures
Akile Anai pictured at a press conference following the raid on her group's headquarters. She described her organization as being in support of Russia
Ionov wrote in the caption for this photo: 'A bad peace is better than a good war!' He posted it as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began
The lengthy petition reads in part: 'The U.S. government is responsible for mass murders, mass and discriminatory imprisonment, and oppressive conditions in nearly every aspect of life, including state-sanctioned violence and murders, education, family life, reproduction, employment, healthcare and freedom of political assembly for African people in the U.S.'
Representatives from the group said the FBI raided their center in St. Petersburg on Friday.
Akile Anai, who describes herself as director of agitation and propaganda for the African People´s Socialist Party, said agents searched her car and took her cellphone and laptop computer on Friday in addition to raiding the Uhuru House.
The Uhuru Movement is part of the African People's Socialist Party. Their movement seeks to united 'African people as one people for liberation, social justice, self-reliance and economic development.'
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announcing the indictment against Ionov in St. Petersburg on July 29
Members of the Uhuru movement first met Ionov in Russia when they were invited to a conference, and Anai said she also had been in contact with Ionov via email and also a webinar
Ionov sought to inject himself into local politics in by supporting group members for office.
In 2017, the group put forth candidates for mayor and city council, and again in 2019 for a city council race. The candidates lost.
Another leader of the group, Eritha 'Akile' Cainion, spoke at a fiery press conference after the raid.
Cainion said: 'We can have relationships with whoever we want to make this revolution possible. We are in support of Russia. '
Ionov said that he is an 'ideological person' who works 'with various leftist organizations.'
Ionov from 2014 until March 2022 recruited political groups in Florida, Georgia and California and directed them to spread pro-Russia talking points.
He also paid for group members to attend government-funded conferences in Russia named the 'Dialogue of Nations,' as well as a protest in the U.S. against social media efforts to suppress online support for Moscow's Ukraine invasion.
Ionov orchestrated a brazen influence campaign, turning U.S. political groups and U.S. citizens into instruments of the Russian government, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the head of the Justice Department´s national security division, said in a statement.
Ionov worked under the supervision of the Russia´s Federal Security Service, or FSB - which conducts domestic intelligence and counterintelligence activities - and reported his activities back to the agency.
Ionov is also accused of being a point of contact for other political activities in Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland
The indictment, in federal court in Tampa, charges him with conspiring to have U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government.
The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ionov, accusing him of efforts to 'manipulate and destabilize the United States and its allies and partners.'
Ionov also exercised control of a separate organization in California and helped fund a 2018 demonstration at the state capitol building.
He sent news coverage to one of his FSB contacts and said that the officer had asked for 'turmoil' and 'there you go.'
More recently Ionov paid for the travel of members of a Georgia group to fly from Atlanta to San Francisco to join a protest outside a social media company in California that had placed content restrictions on posts supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He's also accused of being a point of contact for other political activities in Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The case is part of a much broader Justice Department crackdown on foreign influence operations aimed at shaping public opinion in the U.S.
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