CNN reported that the FBI is allegedly conducting an advertising campaign on Facebook, which is aimed at “Russian spies” and is designed to convince “agents to change their oath and collaborate with the US authorities.”

According to the channel, the department’s advertisements appear on the social network and are accompanied by images with signatures in Russian. At the same time, according to journalists, in one of the photos they noticed that the phrase was written with spelling errors and typos. In the textual part of these communications in English, the Federal Bureau of Investigation suggested sharing information “that could help” the intelligence service.

“We saw some of these advertisements, they are very motivating, they have text in Russian, and they show them to those who are in the Washington area. The text of the ads says: “think about your family”, “think about your future”, “think about taking our side”, and there is also information about how to contact the Washington FBI, ”the correspondent reports CNN Doni O'Sullivan.

Journalists used the Facebook tool, which helps to see which pages are used for advertising campaigns. In this case, we are talking about the official page of the FBI in social networks. The material notes that this tool appeared partly due to the fact that in 2016 Russia allegedly placed ads on the platform in order to “influence” the US presidential election.

The FBI refused to comment on information about the advertising campaign, but said that Russian intelligence "poses a threat to the security of the United States and its allies" and the FBI "will continue to adapt its investigation methods and propaganda to counter this threat."

“The FBI uses a variety of means to collect information, including using sources. The FBI will use all available legal means to find people who have information that can be used to protect the United States from threats to national security, ”Alan Kohler, Jr., special agent, head of counterintelligence at the FBI’s Washington field office, told CNN.

  • FBI Facebook Promotional Messages
  • Facebook

"Witch-hunt"

However, as experts say, the FBI advertising campaign - if it really exists - actually has other goals. Corresponding Member of the Academy of Military Sciences, Americanist Sergei Sudakov, believes that this initiative is aimed more at the domestic consumer, rather than the "Russian spies."

“The Bureau is striving to form Russophobia among the Americans, which the Democrats need so much. Indeed, now this political force is having problems defining a line that can attract the electorate and rally the party. In addition, Facebook always played points for Democrats and was on their side, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

However, according to Sudakov, in this way the FBI will definitely "be unable to lure anyone."

“It sounds rather funny and funny - this is how the system does not work. However, with such advertising messages, the department wants to show ordinary US residents that there are a lot of Russian spies, that there really was a Russian trace, and Trump is a liar and an accomplice of all kinds of dark Russian forces, ”the analyst said.

Sudakov did not rule out the possibility that the FBI was conducting a similar campaign, recalling that the head of the White House had a serious conflict with the bureau.

“Trump has not yet defeated his opponents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is fighting to ensure that the current US president is not re-elected for a second term. They understand that in this case they can lose their places. After all, Trump can conduct a total cleaning of intelligence services, sending every second resigned, ”the expert said.

A similar opinion is shared by Konstantin Blokhin, an expert at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to him, if the FBI is really conducting an advertising campaign designed to allegedly “recruit Russian spies,” then its goal is to support the myth of the Russian threat in domestic political discourse.

  • US President Donald Trump
  • Reuters
  • © Kevin Lamarque

“This is a witch hunt, but with a new sauce. In this way, the Federal Bureau of Intelligence enlivens the Russian theme, because after a two-year investigation of Muller and his report, it began to disappear, and various accusations against Trump that he is a fascist, populist and sexist cannot fill this discourse, ”the expert said in conversation with RT.

According to Konstantin Blokhin, such an initiative of the FBI can be aimed primarily at the younger generation, which spends all their free time on social networks.

“To warm up interest in Russia”

By stimulating aggression against Russia, Washington is trying to consolidate a “Western divided society,” says Konstantin Blokhin.

“In the West, disagreements exist not only between Europe and the United States, but also within the United States itself. Therefore, “democracy” needs a common enemy so that people think about the far-fetched Russian threat and forget about pressing problems, ”the analyst said.

Blokhin recalled that earlier the US intelligence agencies used a variety of methods, including very tough ones, to get "the right information."

“Even various drugs were used during interrogations. However, now these methods are even more diverse. The task of the American intelligence services is to win the information war. And all the possible tools will be used, including the media and the Internet, which can spread fake news, as well as computer games and cinema, ”the expert explained.

According to Sergei Sudakov, the FBI could very well launch a campaign "for Russian spies." Experts consider this step a provocation, but notes that there will be many initiatives of this kind.

“It is possible that the bureau will begin to look for people who will discredit Russia. Here even falsification of passports and certificates can come into play. For money, the FBI can find people who can play any agents. Also, the agency may well collect rumors, print them out and label “top secret”, and then put forward these materials as a serious accusation, ”the analyst suggested.

  • FBI employees at work in the office
  • AFP
  • © Jessica McGowan / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA

According to Sudakov, the FBI continues to try to discredit Russia in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of its activities.

“The department seeks to foster interest in Russia. And this can be achieved by creating mega-scandals ... After all, you need to somehow explain to American taxpayers why they pay money, ”the analyst said.

Sudakov emphasized that such a situation is extremely dangerous for Russia.

“The clashes between the Democrats and the Republicans, which the FBI is seeking, are unprofitable for Moscow because they can lead to the destabilization of the political system in the United States. And in this case, there will be a serious threat that even more convinced Russophobes will come to power, able to share nuclear weapons with their NATO counterparts located near the Russian borders, ”the analyst concluded.