Dmitry Peskov (born October 17, 1967) is a Russian diplomat, and since 2012 the press spokesman for the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. / AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER NEMENOV
(Eagle News) – Russia called as tiresome, unfounded and amateurish repeated accusations from the United States that it took part in cyberattacks to manipulate US polls, saying the unclassified US intelligence report published on Friday “has not added any substance to merit comment.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has categorically denied that any of its official agencies took part in alleged cyberattacks on the United States during the US elections.
“We continue to categorically rule out any involvement by Moscow and accusations that officials or official Russian agencies could be involved in any hacker attacks,” Peskov told reporters on Monday.
Peskov also likened the US charges to a “witch-hunt,” and said they were tiring as these were often repeated by the US.
“We are observing serious fatigue from these charges. It is reminiscent of a full-grown ‘witch-hunt’,” he said.
“This publication has not added any substance to merit comment. From our viewpoint, allegations supported by absolutely nothing continue to be heard at quite an amateur, emotional level, which is hardly applicable to the highly professional work of really high-quality security services,” Peskov stressed.
The Kremlin’s comments were the first official reaction by Moscow to the public report, which was half the length of the classified version presented to President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump.
“We still don’t know what data is really being used by those who present such unfounded accusations,” Peskov said.
Sputnik, a news agency with headquarters in Moscow, reported that Russia has repeatedly denied the US accusations.
Outgoing US President Barack Obama has been very vocal and persistent in pushing the story on the alleged Russian meddling in the US Presidential elections.
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It was Obama who had ordered the intelligence report, which was released to the public on Friday.
The outgoing US President urged US President-elect Donald Trump to take notice of the US intelligence report.
But the US president-elect who will be inaugurated on January 20 has ridiculed US intelligence agencies over their findings and promised he would establish closer ties to Moscow.
US intelligence agencies on Friday released a report saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered a campaign of hacking and media manipulation to upend the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
In a seemingly last-ditch effort to push the US spy report, US President Obama was interviewed on ABC’s “This Week,” warning his Republican successor Donald Trump, who takes office in less than two weeks, about the difference between governing and campaigning, saying the president-elect won’t be able to run his presidency “the way you would manage a family business.”
The interview, which was taped Friday, took place the same day that US intelligence agencies released an unprecedented report against the Russian President.
Trump, whose views on Russia are out of step with his party, has repeatedly dismissed claims that the Russians were trying to help him, arguing that the charges against Russia are the product of his political opponents trying to undermine his victory.
On Friday (January 6), after receiving his intelligence briefing, Trump did not squarely address whether he was told of the agencies’ belief Russia carried out the hacking.
Instead, he said: “Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations” including the DNC.
On Saturday (January 7), Trump wrote on Twitter that having a better relationship with Russia is a “good thing.” “Only ‘stupid’ people or fools, would think that is bad!” he tweeted. “We have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!”
(with reports from Agence France Presse and Reuters)
