Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has told reporters that the US’ accusations that Russia is trying to influence the upcoming US presidential election are absurd, adding that Moscow resolutely refutes them.
This came as Peskov commented on a US National Intelligence report claiming that Russia, China and Iran are making continued attempts to interfere in US electoral processes.
Top U.S intelligence officials claimed that the Kremlin is turning to unwitting Americans and commercial public relations firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the U.S. presidential race.
They said that Russia continues to pose the greatest threat when it comes to election disinformation, while there are indications that Iran is expanding its efforts and China is proceeding cautiously when it comes to 2024.
Sen. Mark Warner, the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that the warning from intelligence officials shows the U.S. election is “in the bullseye of bad actors across the globe.”
Warner added, “It also, disturbingly, emphasizes the extent to which foreign actors — and particularly Russia — rely on both unwitting and witting Americans to promote foreign-aligned narratives in the United States.”
Speaking to reporters, Peskov pointed out that the intelligence community was simply “following modern trends in domestic politics.”
“They too have to look for enemies. And what better enemy for the Americans than the Russians,” the spokesman emphasized.
“Of course, there will be a lot of these kinds of statements as the US election approaches, because Russia and the head of state [Vladimir Putin] personally are, in fact, significantly exploited by both the Republicans and the Democrats in their political struggle, especially in the election campaign.
“We’re used to it. Unfortunately, this is just the way things are with the United States.”
Dmitry Peskov
At the same time, Peskov noted that “every time the US exploits both Russia and Putin in its internal political struggle it causes new irreversible damage to bilateral Russian-American relations.”
“But this happens every political cycle. And in recent political cycles it has only gotten worse,” the spokesman said.
“I would like to remind you that after the last presidential election tens of millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted on the creation and work of special commissions, groups under the US law enforcement agencies, special services and so on, which worked tirelessly for a year, with no regard for taxpayer money, to come to the conclusion that there was no influence on the election. Just a funny fact that I wanted to remind you of.”
Dmitry Peskov
U.S Wasting Funds On Ukraine Conflict
Separately, Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov claimed that Washington is wasting huge funds on the conflict in Ukraine.
He said this in comments on Washington’s announcement of a new military aid package for Ukraine totaling about $1.7 bln.
“Washington continues to burn huge amounts of money in the flames of the Ukrainian conflict, while today, it was announced that the national debt had surpassed the all-time high of $35 trillion,” he stated.
“One can only imagine how much good the money that is being poured on the neo-Nazi and terrorist regime in Kiev could have done had it been spent on peaceful purposes, development goals and efforts to solve numerous domestic social and economic problems in the US.
“Clearly, this is not what the US ruling circles plan to do. They are fully stuck in the past, torn between the concept of ‘Ukraine within the 1991 borders’, which does not and will never exist – and the forlorn hope of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.”
Anatoly Antonov
“US weapons supplies to Kiev cannot change the situation on the battlefield; they will only prolong the conflict, leading to more casualties, including among civilians,” Antonov added.
“However, the profit mongers who are making money on military preparations and put their own interests above the interests of countries and peoples don’t care about that,” he said.
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