Russian commentators made fun of the accusations on Thursday that Moscow was once again interfering in the U.S. presidential election. President Vladimir Putin seemed to join in on the banter by jokingly claiming support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
The U.S. Justice Department announced on Wednesday that Russian state-owned broadcaster RT was involved in a covert operation to influence the American public before the election. Two employees of state media were charged, and sanctions were imposed on 10 individuals and two entities, with Kremlin-controlled websites being seized.
While the Justice Department did not specify which candidate the operation aimed to support, internal documents revealed that the campaign was intended to benefit former President Donald Trump. Kremlin officials have rejected past allegations of election interference in the U.S., referring to them as baseless.
Margarita Simonyan, the head of RT who was among those sanctioned by the U.S., responded to the claims by posting on social media, “They called from 2016 and want all their tired cliches back.” The Treasury Department labeled Simonyan as a key figure in Russian government efforts to influence malign activities.
Putin, who was attending an economic forum in Vladivostok, did not directly address the recent U.S. allegations. However, he joked about the election, mentioning Harris as the Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection.
Putin lightheartedly stated that Biden had been their preferred candidate before he withdrew, endorsing Harris. He complimented Harris’s personality and hinted that good relations with Russia could prevent further sanctions.
Despite allegations of Russian influence operations in favor of Trump in past elections, Putin had praised Trump as an exceptional leader. Earlier this year, Putin indicated that a re-election of Biden would be more advantageous for Russia due to his experience and predictability.
While Simonyan dismissed the U.S. accusations, she previously disclosed RT’s involvement in spreading pro-Kremlin narratives in the U.S. on a Russian talk show. She mentioned the tactics employed to evade detection by authorities.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, promised retaliatory actions against U.S. media in Russia in response to the U.S. sanctions. The Russian government is tightening control over journalists and activists, limiting free expression within the country.
