US accuses financial website of spreading Russian propaganda

By NOMAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials allege a conservative financial website with a significant American readership is amplifying Kremlin propaganda. And the intelligence officials said Tuesday five media outlets targeting Ukrainians have taken direction from Russian spies. The officials say an English-language financial news site with more than 1.2 million Twitter followers published verbatim articles created by Moscow-controlled media. The officials have not provided documents or underlying evidence of links between Russia and the Zero Hedge website, which has accused the U.S. of fomenting false panic about Ukraine and sharply criticized President Joe Biden. Zero Hedge denies the claims and says it tries to “publish a wide spectrum of views.”