Kremlin says U.S. hacking allegations are 'reminiscent of a witch-hunt'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov speaks during the annual end-of-year news conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, December 23, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

By Maria Tsvetkova and Christian Lowe

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Allegations that Russia tried to influence the U.S. election in favour of Donald Trump amount to a witch-hunt, the Kremlin said on Monday, in its first reaction to the release of a U.S. intelligence report on the alleged Russian operation.

 

The report, a redacted version of which was released publicly last week, alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin directed a cyber campaign aimed at helping Trump beat his rival Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House.

 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no new evidence had been produced to show that Russian officials was involved.

 

"We are observing a serious fatigue with these accusations," Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "It truly is reminiscent of a witch-hunt."

 

His words echoed a phrase used by Trump himself, who was quoted as saying in an interview with the New York Times newspaper on Friday that the storm over Russian hacking was a "political witch hunt."

 

Peskov, commenting on the U.S. intelligence report, said: "You know, that version of the report that was made public added no substance whatsoever that we can comment on."

 

"Groundless accusations which are not supported by anything are being rehearsed in an amateurish, unprofessional way. We don't know what information they are actually relying on."

 

Asked if Putin himself had read a translation of the report, Peskov said there was nothing in the document "that's worth reading in detail."

 

But Peskov said the Kremlin's position, as in the past, is that it categorically rules out that any Russian official could have been involved in hacking related to the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

 

Both Trump and Putin have said that they want to restore U.S.-Russian relations, and the Kremlin spokesman indicated that Moscow was looking beyond the hacking row and ahead to the new administration.

 

Peskov said there had been witch-hunts in the past in U.S. history, but those periods came to an end when what he described as more sober leaders took charge.

 

Peskov said that once Trump had been inaugurated on Jan. 20, work would begin on finding a date for a first meeting between the Russian and U.S. leaders.

 

"If some kind of contacts will be planned, then they will be planned extremely painstakingly, carefully, especially since we are talking about contacts following a very tense period in our relations," he said, referring to disputes between the Kremlin and the Obama administration.

 

(Editing by Alexander Winning)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-09

Trump - Russia , same same : " a witch -hunt"

 

1- deny everything: "there is no evidence"
2- accuse: "those who accuse me are worse than me"
3- victimization: "something is going on, there is a plot "

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by Opl

lots of hacks form  ip address out of the country, are they all classified as gov hacks ?

The worst kind of witch hunt - successful.

if Russia weighs the same as a duck, then she is made of wood, and therefore a witch!
[/url]  

Well,we did do the nose.... and the hat. (Trump probably)

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

Quote

Kremlin says U.S. hacking allegations are 'reminiscent of a witch-hunt'

Washington says Kremlin admits 'we are witches'

Please stick to the topic.  And no more references to "sheeple".

6 hours ago, halloween said:

The worst kind of witch hunt - successful.

Russians - the witches

Trump - the Goblin

Happy Halloween!

15 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Allegations that Russia tried to influence the U.S. election in favour of Donald Trump amount to a witch-hunt, the Kremlin said on Monday

Interesting that Putin uses the same term that Trump did several days ago claiming that the US claimed Russian hacking was a "political witch hunt." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigation-of-russian-hacking-is-a-witch-hunt-trump-says/2017/01/06/cf330600-d430-11e6-a783-cd3fa950f2fd_story.html

Getting harder to distinguish between Trump and Putin.

Here is a good article of the Russian and Trump connection. How the Russians wanted to hurt Clinton, not get Trump elected. However their tactics worked a bit too well and the unpredictable manchild got elected.

 

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/russia-wanted-payback-not-a-president-trump/article33546639/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links&service=mobile

13 hours ago, Opl said:

Trump - Russia , same same : " a witch -hunt"

 

1- deny everything: "there is no evidence"
2- accuse: "those who accuse me are worse than me"
3- victimization: "something is going on, there is a plot "

I agree. When has Russia or comrade Trump ever admitted any wrongdoing? I can't help but think a/b how many times Russia denied doping athletes? 

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Interesting that Putin uses the same term that Trump did several days ago claiming that the US claimed Russian hacking was a "political witch hunt." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigation-of-russian-hacking-is-a-witch-hunt-trump-says/2017/01/06/cf330600-d430-11e6-a783-cd3fa950f2fd_story.html

Getting harder to distinguish between Trump and Putin.

Many individuals believe Putin is Trump's mentor. 

20 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

"Groundless accusations which are not supported by anything are being rehearsed in an amateurish, unprofessional way. We don't know what information they are actually relying on."

 

I suppose they think this statement may get the US intelligence community to give them strategic information?

5 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Interesting that Putin uses the same term that Trump did several days ago claiming that the US claimed Russian hacking was a "political witch hunt." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigation-of-russian-hacking-is-a-witch-hunt-trump-says/2017/01/06/cf330600-d430-11e6-a783-cd3fa950f2fd_story.html

Getting harder to distinguish between Trump and Putin.

 

Funny how they use each others specific terms.  They are going to have huge parties in Russia on the 20th.

4 minutes ago, Redline said:

Funny how they use each others specific terms.  They are going to have huge parties in Russia on the 20th.

Celebration has already started.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/2017/01/05/d7099406-d355-11e6-9cb0-54ab630851e8_story.html

1 minute ago, Srikcir said:

Celebration has already started.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/2017/01/05/d7099406-d355-11e6-9cb0-54ab630851e8_story.html

 

That's pre-party

3 minutes ago, Redline said:

That's pre-party

MayBe Putin will invite Trump to Moscow for a "ticket-tape parade."

2 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

MayBe Putin will invite Trump to Moscow for a "ticket-tape parade."

I'm sure they will have their own candlelight dinner in the future.  They may even have some public investments together in the future.

Edited January 10, 20179 yr by Redline

3 hours ago, selftaopath said:

I agree. When has Russia or comrade Trump ever admitted any wrongdoing? I can't help but think a/b how many times Russia denied doping athletes? 

They deny EVERYTHING, even with clear proof.  That's what good criminals do as well.  Somehow, they hope it becomes truth through repetition.  It seems to work to some degree.

12 hours ago, Redline said:

I'm sure they will have their own candlelight dinner in the future.  They may even have some public investments together in the future.

This is an interesting article:

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/donald-trump-was-bailed-out-bankruptcy-russia-crime-bosses

Could it possibly be true? I think so.

On 1/9/2017 at 8:10 PM, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Both Trump and Putin have said that they want to restore U.S.-Russian relations, and the Kremlin spokesman indicated that Moscow was looking beyond the hacking row and ahead to the new administration.

Will normalization of relations include continued blackmailing Trump?

 

Russian operatives reportedly targeted DT  and compiled "salacious, compromising documents about him" including "personal and financial information" that has yet to be released. The documents also allege communication between Trump campaign officials and members of the Russian government throughout the election. The FBI is investigating alleged Russian contacts with DT's campaign officials.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-russia-compromising-information-intelligence-report-us-election-hack-a7520576.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-report-russia/

Hopefully, Trump will not rush into closer relations with Russia as POTUS until all the facts have surfaced regarding the extent of Russian intrusion into the Presidential elections.

 

20 hours ago, selftaopath said:

This is an interesting article:

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/donald-trump-was-bailed-out-bankruptcy-russia-crime-bosses

Could it possibly be true? I think so.

I hope so, but probably not

Good to see the Pee-OTUS/Kremlin coordinating on talking points...