The goal was espionage; the tactics were Social Media 101

Apple iPhone 7 on black table with icons of social media facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat application on screen. Smartphone (Dreamstime/TNS)

If a brand today wants to promote a new product, it would order its social media team to tailor posts that resonate with its audience, buy targeted ads to reach impressionable eyeballs, and closely monitor the performance of its messaging to ensure it reaches, and influences, as many viewers as possible. 

If a Russian troll farm wanted to disrupt an American election and amplify discord in an open society, it would apparently do the exact same things.