Vladimir Putin rejects allegations over US cyberattacks, asks 'where is the proof?'

“Where is the proof?,” questioned Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 14 while dismissing allegations of cyberattacks against the United States as “farcical.” In an interview with NBC broadcast aired on Monday ahead of his much-awaited summit with US President Joe Biden, when Putin was asked about Russia waging a “cyberwar” against the US, he said, “Where is proof? It's becoming farcical." Russian President also dismissed criticism over ordering hit on country’s opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Further, Putin denied Russia involvement after American companies including major fuel pipeline network linked cyberattacks with Moscow. 

"We have been accused of all kinds of things, election interference, cyberattacks and so on and so forth, and not once, not one time, did they bother to produce any kind of evidence or proof, just unfounded accusations,” said Putin. 

‘Such decisions not made by the president’

In the same interview, Putin did not guarantee that the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny would get out of the prison alive but denied ordering a hit on the political rival. He said, “Look, such decisions in this country are not made by the president” Reportedly, when the Russian President was reminded that Navalny was not just any prison, Putin replied, “He will not be treated any worse than anybody else."

The Russian leader also revealed that he was open to a prisoner swap with the United States as the future of prisoners is going to be one of the agendas on the table when Biden and Putin meet for the first time on June 16 in Geneva. Any negotiations over prisoners would also focus on individuals including former US marine Paul Whelan who was sent behind bars for 16 years by Russia over espionage charges.

However, as per reports, Whelan has urged US President to arrange a prisoner exchange and in the latest interview also said that he was a ‘victim of hostage diplomacy.’ Furthermore, when the Russian President was asked about Navalny and the accusations on Kremlin for its clampdown on the opposition, Putin said, “you are presenting it as dissent and intolerance towards dissent in Russia... we view it completely differently."

The Russian leader called for “predictability and stability” in the Russia-US relations and noted that it was something “we haven't seen in recent years.”

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