Recent actions by the U.S. government against Russian disinformation efforts reveal a more sophisticated strategy employed by Russia, which includes infiltrating legitimate U.S.-based media to manipulate public opinion. The Department of Justice charged two employees of the Russian state media outlet RT for allegedly orchestrating a $10 million scheme to influence American voters in favor of Donald Trump, indicating significant financial investments in disinformation. Critics, however, question the actual impact of these operations, suggesting that the U.S. government has not demonstrated that such interference has swayed election outcomes. Meanwhile, in Moldova, opposition protests against media censorship highlight fears of government control over information ahead of presidential elections, with accusations of a crackdown on dissenting media. The Russian government has been criticized for its tightening grip on media freedoms, which has resulted in accusations of a “steady degradation” of free expression. This complex landscape of media manipulation and censorship underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting democratic processes both in the U.S. and abroad.