Russia on Wednesday denied meddling in the 2020 U.S. presidential election following the release of a government report that accused the Kremlin of conducting influence operations against the contest.
Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, said the report containing the findings reached by the U.S. intelligence community is “absolutely unfounded,” state media reported.
The Russian Embassy in Washington similarly characterized the unclassified report as containing “groundless accusations” antithetical to efforts to normalize relations between the two countries.
“The conclusions of the report on Russia conducting influence operations in America are confirmed solely by the confidence of the intelligence services of their self-righteousness,” the Russian embassy said on social media. “No facts or specific evidence of such claims were provided.”
The report, released Tuesday by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, is an unclassified version of a classified assessment that was produced in January before President Biden took office.
One key finding contained in the report is that Mr. Putin authorized influence operations aimed at denigrating Mr. Biden’s candidacy and supporting his rival, former President Trump.
Mr. Biden, a Democrat, said in an interview aired Wednesday that Mr. Putin “will pay a price” for seeking to influence the outcome of his election against Mr. Trump, a Republican.
U.S. officials previously assessed Russia interfered in the 2016 election between Mr. Trump and then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Moscow has denied meddling in that race as well.
The declassified report detailing foreign threats to the 2020 election was released in accordance with an executive order that Mr. Trump signed in 2018.
In addition to authorizing the report on election threats, the executive order requires federal agencies to review the assessment reached by the intelligence community and consider imposing sanctions.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.