Russia 'tried to hijack US election': US senator
The top Democrat on the US Senate Intelligence Committee accused Russia yesterday of mounting a campaign of "propaganda on steroids" seeking to influence the 2016 US presidential election, and listed several areas of concern about possible links to Republican Donald Trump's campaign.
"I will not prejudge the outcome of our investigation," Senator Mark Warner told a rare public intelligence committee hearing on alleged Russian efforts to influence elections. "We are seeking to determine if there is an actual fire, but so far there is a great, great deal of smoke."
Moscow denies attempting to influence the election, and Trump has dismissed suggestions of links with Moscow as Democratic sour grapes about his surprise November defeat of Hillary Clinton.
The lawmakers warned of the seriousness of Russian efforts, and experts at the hearing detailed what they described as the dissemination of disinformation and cyber attacks on both Democratic political operatives and Republicans, reported Reuters.
They also warned of the potential for Russian influence on upcoming elections in France and Germany, and said Britain's "Brexit" vote last year on leaving the European Union should also be examined.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has described allegations that his country meddled in the 2016 US election as "fictional, illusory, provocations and lies."
Asked directly yesterday whether Russia interfered in the election, Putin said: "Read my lips: No."
Putin's comments are the President's most emphatic denial of the accusations yet, and are the first he has directly made since Trump took office in January, reported CNN.
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