A third element in the Soviet (and now Russian) toolkit is
“active measures” — direct intervention by clandestine means in the politics of another country. Active measures may entail the following:
* Influencing the policies of another government;
* Undermining confidence in its leaders and institutions;
* Disrupting its relations with other nations;
* Discrediting and weakening governmental and nongovernmental opponents.
Russia's goal was to create the perception that they're meddling in this election, so as to delegitimize the electoral process itself.