Russia calls US intel report on election meddling ‘baseless’

The report directly linked President Vladimir Putin to attempts to swing the US election in Donald Trump’s favour.

Russia has called United States intelligence findings that President Vladimir Putin had likely directed efforts to try to swing the 2020 presidential election towards Donald Trump as “baseless”. A 15-page US intelligence report, released on Tuesday, supported longstanding allegations that some of Trump’s top lieutenants were playing into Moscow’s hands by amplifying claims made against then-candidate Joe Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the November 3 election. The report said Moscow sought to “push influence narratives” that included misleading or unsubstantiated claims against Biden “to US media organisations, US officials, and prominent US individuals, including some close to former President Trump and his administration.”