Moscow’s election interference is not simply an attack on democracy, but it’s a means to weaken the United States’s global role. Russian intelligence agencies are engaged in disinformation offensives crafted to exploit rifts in American society and depict the U.S. as an ailing power.

The Kremlin favors the reelection of President Trump because he is seen as a disruptive force and a potentially valuable partner. But even if Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wins the presidency, Moscow will promote domestic conflicts to challenge the legitimacy of the election.