[ModernMech]

Look at what they did with the 2016 election. They hacked that too and didn't hide anything, but when they were accused by the US government they claimed innocence and blamed Ukraine. The allows Russian people to say "Look how awful those Ukrainians are for hacking America; and look at how awful America is for blaming Russia."

So they hack their enemy, and then use that to reinforce the false narratives they tell their own people. It's gaslighting at the national level. Russia is as if your emotionally abusive partner was your government. America is becoming the same.