The California secession movement was backed by Russian intelligence as part of a larger effort to destabilize the US, according to a federal indictment unveiled on 29 July 2022, Business Insider reported.
The indictment focuses on Aleksandr Ionov, a resident of Moscow and head of the “Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said.
“That effort involved hosting government-funded conferences in Russia, inviting secessionists from around the globe, as well as providing “financial support, consulting, instruction and promotion in Russia media outlets” to separatist movements in the US,” BI wrote.