Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Russian bounty program" in English language version.
McKenzie's comments reflected a consensus view in the military. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the House Armed Services Committee in July that "All the defense intelligence agencies have been unable to corroborate that report. "That has not changed, a senior official with direct knowledge told NBC News Thursday.
• The United States Intelligence Community assesses with low to moderate confidence that Russian intelligence officers sought to encourage Taliban attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Afghanistan in 2019, and perhaps earlier, including through financial incentives and compensation. • U.S. Intelligence Community agencies have low to moderate confidence in this judgment in part because it relies on detainee reporting and due to the challenging operating environment of Afghanistan. • Our conclusion is based on information and evidence of connections between criminal agents in Afghanistan and elements of the Russian Government. • We cannot confirm that the operation resulted in any attacks on U.S. or Coalition forces. • We assess that a General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) unit managed interaction with individuals in Afghan criminal networks. The United States has high confidence in this assessment because we have independently verified the ties of several individuals in this network to Russia. • Multiple sources have confirmed that elements of this criminal network worked for Russian intelligence for over a decade and travelled to Moscow in April 2019.• We have a strong body of evidence of the activities of this GRU unit. This GRU unit has been involved in other nefarious operations around the world against our allies and partners, including a plot to violently disrupt Montenegro's legislative election in 2016, the attempted assassination of former GRU officer Sergey Skripal in 2018, and assassinations across Europe. • The involvement of this GRU unit is consistent with Russia encouraging attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Afghanistan given its leading role in such lethal and destabilizing operations abroad. [...] This information puts the burden on the Russian government to explain its actions and take steps to address this disturbing pattern of behavior. We do not have evidence that the Kremlin directed this operation, but we call on the Russian government to explain itself.
McKenzie's comments reflected a consensus view in the military. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the House Armed Services Committee in July that "All the defense intelligence agencies have been unable to corroborate that report. "That has not changed, a senior official with direct knowledge told NBC News Thursday.
• The United States Intelligence Community assesses with low to moderate confidence that Russian intelligence officers sought to encourage Taliban attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Afghanistan in 2019, and perhaps earlier, including through financial incentives and compensation. • U.S. Intelligence Community agencies have low to moderate confidence in this judgment in part because it relies on detainee reporting and due to the challenging operating environment of Afghanistan. • Our conclusion is based on information and evidence of connections between criminal agents in Afghanistan and elements of the Russian Government. • We cannot confirm that the operation resulted in any attacks on U.S. or Coalition forces. • We assess that a General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) unit managed interaction with individuals in Afghan criminal networks. The United States has high confidence in this assessment because we have independently verified the ties of several individuals in this network to Russia. • Multiple sources have confirmed that elements of this criminal network worked for Russian intelligence for over a decade and travelled to Moscow in April 2019.• We have a strong body of evidence of the activities of this GRU unit. This GRU unit has been involved in other nefarious operations around the world against our allies and partners, including a plot to violently disrupt Montenegro's legislative election in 2016, the attempted assassination of former GRU officer Sergey Skripal in 2018, and assassinations across Europe. • The involvement of this GRU unit is consistent with Russia encouraging attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Afghanistan given its leading role in such lethal and destabilizing operations abroad. [...] This information puts the burden on the Russian government to explain its actions and take steps to address this disturbing pattern of behavior. We do not have evidence that the Kremlin directed this operation, but we call on the Russian government to explain itself.
