A Russian woman has been charged with interfering in US elections, including next month's midterms.

Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova is accused of being involved in an operation using social media on a significant scale in order to sway the opinions of the American public.

She is accused of playing a key financial role in a Kremlin-backed plan to conduct "information warfare" against the US, including to influence next month's congressional elections.

It is believed to be the first federal case alleging Russian interference in this year's election.

In July, 12 Russians were charged with hacking Democratic Party emails during the 2016 US presidential election.

America's justice department disclosed the latest criminal complaint soon after US intelligence agencies said they were concerned about efforts by Russia, Chinaand Iran to influence US voters and policy.

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The complaint claims Ms Khusyaynova worked for the same Russian social media troll farm that was indicted in February by special counsel Robert Mueller.

It is alleged Ms Khusyaynova was the chief accountant for Project Lakhta, which was funded by Russian businessman Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin and two companies he controls, Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering.

Those two companies were among three entities and 13 Russian individuals who were indicted by Mr Mueller's office in an alleged criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper with the 2016 US presidential race, improve Donald Trump's profile and damage that of Hillary Clinton.

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