Putin-linked Russian think tank drafted a 'road map' for swaying the U.S. election

A Russian think tank linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin created a "road map" for how to tip the U.S. presidential election in Donald Trump's favor, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing seven current and former U.S. officials. Two confidential strategy documents were reportedly created by the think tank and "circulated at the highest levels of the Russian government."

The first, distributed in June, reportedly recommended the Kremlin "launch a propaganda campaign" nudging American voters toward a candidate who would be sympathetic to Russia. The plan was "a broadening" of Putin administration efforts that were already underway, Reuters reported.

The second document, drafted in October, apparently predicted Hillary Clinton would win the election and suggested forgoing efforts to boost Trump in favor of pushing voter fraud claims to undermine Clinton's power once she assumed office.

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U.S. intelligence agencies declined to comment to Reuters on the documents, and the agents who spoke to Reuters did not reveal how the U.S. obtained them. The officials told Reuters the documents were "central to the Obama administration's conclusion that Russia mounted a 'fake news' campaign and launched cyber attacks against Democratic Party groups and Clinton's campaign." Read more on the story at Reuters.