Belgium to investigate 'Russian interference' in European Parliament elections
Belgium's intelligence service has opened an investigation into suspected Russian interference in this summer's European Parliament elections.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo - whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) - made the announcement on Friday, saying that agents had confirmed the existence of a network trying to undermine support for Ukraine.
Elections for the European Parliament are being held across the continent between Thursday June 6 and Sunday June 9.
"Belgian intelligence services have confirmed the existence of pro-Russian interference networks with activities in several European countries and also here in Belgium," Mr De Croo told reporters.
He said that Belgian agencies are working closely with authorities in the Czech Republic after a pro-Russian influence operation was uncovered there.
That probe showed that members of the European Parliament were approached and offered money to promote Russian propaganda, Mr De Croo added.
He said: "According to our intelligence service, the objectives of Moscow are very clear.
"The objective is to help elect more pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament and to reinforce a certain pro-Russian narrative in that institution."
EU nations have poured billions of euros into Ukraine, along with significant amounts of weaponry and ammunition.
The bloc has also voted through a raft of sanctions against key officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as banks and companies which operate in the country.
US intelligence agencies concluded that Russian interference took place in the run-up to the 2016 US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump.
Russian operatives, on that occasion, were found to have hacked Democratic emails and facilitated their release before election day.
More recently, it was established that Putin had authorised Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election - this time aimed at undermining incumbent US President Joe Biden.
The European Parliament said that it takes note of the decision by the Belgian justice authorities, but it cannot "comment on ongoing investigations".
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