WORLD

Russia blasts idea a CIA mole in Kremlin lifted lid on its meddling in U.S. election

The house in Stafford, Virginia, of alleged spy Oleg Smolenkov is seen Tuesday. American media reported that U.S. agents extracted in 2017 a high-level mole in the Russian government who had confirmed Vladimir Putin's direct role in interfering in the 2016 presidential election. On Tuesday, Russian media named the alleged spy reporting that he had worked at the Russian embassy in Washington before moving to Moscow. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Sep 12, 2019

MOSCOW/LONDON –

Russia on Wednesday condemned as lies and slander suggestions a suspected CIA mole in President Vladimir Putin's administration had handed over information to the United States about alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential elections.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made the comment after U.S. media reports, confirmed to Reuters by two sources, said a CIA informant in the Russian government had been extracted and brought to the United States in 2017.

U.S. intelligence agencies have said Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election campaign in order to tilt the vote in U.S. President Donald Trump's favor. Moscow has denied any interference.