This article does not appear to be about politics, such as gun rights policy. Instead it is about a few individuals who, once identified, align with more extreme positions, guns rights are the most pronounced of a few identified subjective criteria, seeking to astro-turf an influence campaign.
I think it's important to be mindful that the astro-turfing described here is not just picking up a random crowd of credulous or especially vulnerable people. There are numerous other political opportunists involved, and a good number of the people who turn to these events are the same people who turn out to other highly political demonstrations organized within the 'patriot' movement. It's not a random sample of the population.
Russia certainly exploits political movements like these for strategic purposes (as all international powers exploit the political divisions of their rivals), but the involvement of state actors, organizational sponsors, and grifters does not render the visible political conflict moot, which is wishful thinking on the part of centrists and technocrats.
Although foreign influence campaigns have used tactics like these there is no evidence to suggest any foreign influence in this case. The article suggests the bad actors were identified to actual persons in the US. So, in this case, no Russian puppets here.
I don't keep up with the RNA or many other special interests movements. The NRA, as far as I know, are a prominent gun rights lobbyist with extremely deep pockets. There is a lot of conjecture about the NRA, and that could just be that they are highly controversial, but there is nothing I know of suggesting the NRA is influenced by foreign agents, but then I also don't keep up with this.
I mean I see what you're saying. This does seem like the type of thing a state actor like Russia might want to do. But we're a few years out from 2016 at this point. I am not surprised that some Americans have decided to stir the pot themselves either for political reasons or to try and get dollars.
That link shows that the NRA may have had some contact with Russia pre-2016. Even that much is disputed. But even if true, it is a "long* way from controlled by Russia, either via money or pressure.
