Putin accused of ‘propaganda on steroids’ to tip US election

VLADIMIR PUTIN personally ordered a campaign that amounted to “propaganda on steroids” as he sought to steal the presidential election from Hillary Clinton, US Senators have claimed.

Thousands of “cyber trolls” based in Russia were said to have sent out “fake news” targeting voters in key states such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all of which Mr Trump won despite being behind in polls.

The operatives even sought to influence Mr Trump himself, flooding his Twitter feed with conspiracy theories when they knew he was online, the Senate Intelligence Committee was told at its first public hearing in Wash- ington. Mr Putin yesterday issued his most emphatic denial so far, calling the accusations he meddled in the US election “nonsense, endless, and groundless”. He said: “Ronald Reagan was talking about taxes once and said ‘Read my lips’ … Read my lips – no.” The quote was in fact by George H W Bush.

Mark Warner, a Democratic senator who is vice-chairman of the Senate committee, said: “Vladimir Putin ordered a deliberate campaign carefully constructed to undermine our election. There were paid internet trolls working out of a facility in Russia.

“This Russian ‘propaganda on steroids’ was designed to poison the national conversation in America.”

On whether there were links between Russia and Mr Trump’s campaign, Mr Warner said: “We are seeking to determine whether there is an actual fire, but there is a great, great deal of smoke.”

Michael Flynn, the president’s former national security adviser, reportedly told the FBI and congressional officials investigating the links that he is willing to be interviewed in exchange for prosecution immunity.

Mr Flynn, who was fired in February for failing to disclose talks with Russia’s ambassador, made the offer through his lawyer but has so far found no takers, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials.