Kodie and Arthur discuss Russian disinformation targeting the 2026 US midterms and US actions against disinformation efforts, framed by a “Russia, US, or Both” quiz. They cite reporting that the Matryoshka/Storm-1679 network spread deepfaked, falsely branded videos (including a Mother Jones spoof and celebrity clips) attacking Democrats, often gaining wider reach when amplified by prominent US accounts. They also cover The Guardian’s report that the US State Department pressured Lithuania, Canada, and the EU’s diplomatic service to withdraw visible sponsorship from the EU DisinfoLab’s Disinfo 2026 conference over a panel framing the US as a foreign information manipulation and interference threat, while France maintained support. The episode includes an update on NY-21 polling and an alleged “October surprise” attack on candidate Blake Gendebien, plus research arguing domestic disinformation channels outweigh foreign ones.

00:00 Welcome and Fall Catchup

02:08 Today’s Agenda and Quiz Setup

03:07 Russia US or Both Game

08:04 AI Containment Update

09:29 Russian Midterms Deepfakes

16:03 How the Op Spreads

19:17 Platform Amplification Debate

27:52 Yandex Strikes and Bot Traffic

29:34 Conscription and War Reality

31:00 US Disinfo Amplification

34:11 Disinfo 2026 Controversy

36:13 State Department Pressure

41:00 Quid Pro Quo Fallout

42:11 US as FIMI Threat

45:50 Attacking Disinfo Experts

49:56 NY21 Race Update

53:48 October Surprise Drone Ad

56:54 Spectacle Politics Playbook

01:00:44 Research Wrap Up Findings

01:05:00 Closing Thoughts and Next

Resources for this episode -

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/new-york-us-house-21-polls-2026.html

https://wnyt.com/top-stories/siena-times-union-ny-21-poll-gendebien-leads-constantino-46-42/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/how-a-russian-attack-on-the-midterms-deepfaked-mother-jones-matryoshka-putin-trump/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/07/trump-eu-disinformation-conference