Kremlin dismisses US Democratic e- mail hack claims as ‘ absurd’
The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed allegations that Russia was behind a hack of the Democratic National Committee’s emails as absurd, mocking what it called obsessive references to Russia in the US presidential campaign.
“This absurd news was immediately refuted by the family of the well- known presidential candidate,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists, referring to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier shrugged off accusations by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign that Russia was involved in the e- mail leak.
“I don’t want to use four- letter words,” Lavrov said ahead of meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Laos.
Peskov also dismissed a report that Trump’s foreign policy adviser Carter Page had met Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov in Russia this month while he visited Moscow to give a commencement speech at the New Economic School.
Peskov said he had asked Ivanov about the allegation, adding that the Kremlin chief of staff had responded that “he does not comment on such de- lusional reports.”
“We are still seeing attempts to obsessively use the topic of Russia during the US electoral campaign,” Peskov said.
“We think that’s not very good for bilateral relations, but we understand that we need to get through this unfavorable period.”
Trump has made no secret of his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, leading some to suggest that the Kremlin strongman is working to help propel the real estate billionaire into the White House.
Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine on Saturday described Trump’s comments on what he would do if Russia were to attack a Baltic nation as “an open invitation to Vladimir Putin to roll on in.”
Trump said that as president, he would defend NATO allies only after assessing whether they “have fulfilled their obligations to us.”
Clinton foreign policy adviser Jake Sullivan said, “It is fair to assume that Vladimir Putin is rooting for a Trump presi
dency.”