WASHINGTON, Sep 13 (AFP) - Russia has covertly sent at least US$300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in bids to gain influence, a declassified US intelligence assessment said on Tuesday (Sep 13).

US intelligence "assesses that these are minimum figures and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds covertly in cases that have gone undetected", a senior administration official said.

"We think this is just the tip of the iceberg," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

In one of the most egregious cases cited in the new assessment, US intelligence said that the Russian ambassador in an unnamed Asian country provided millions of dollars to a presidential candidate.

The declassified assessment did not give details on specific countries. But an administration source familiar with the findings alleged that Russia spent around US$500,000 to back Albania's centre-right Democratic Party in 2017 elections and also bankrolled parties or candidates in Bosnia, Montenegro and Madagascar.

The source, who was not authorised to speak on record, said that Russia has also used Brussels as a hub for foundations and other fronts that back far-right candidates, and that Russia's embassy in Ecuador was sent "large amounts" of money from 2014 to 2017, apparently with a mission to swing elections.

The assessment said that Russia has used fictitious contracts and shell companies in Europe and has more directly funnelled covert funding in Central America, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

Russia has at times sent cash but has also made use of crypto-currencies and "lavish" gifts, it said.

The United States is raising the findings with nations that were directly affected, the administration official said.