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Russia Does Not Aim to Meddle in 2018 US Election as CIA Chief Alleges - Envoy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Moscow has no intentions to interfere in the next US midterm election as CIA Director Mike Pompeo has alleged without providing any credible evidence, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Sputnik

"We reviewed the statement of CIA Director Mike Pompeo. There is nothing new in his words. He makes the same claims without providing any evidence," Antonov said. "There is no point [for Russia to interfere in US elections]. We have no such intentions."

Pompeo said in an interview with the BBC on Monday that Russia will likely target the 2018 midterm elections similar to the way it did during the 2016 presidential elections.

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Antonov said that helping Democrats or Republicans win the upcoming US elections does not make any sense for Russia because bilateral relations are not improving under either party.

"Why would we help Democrats win the elections? It would not benefit US-Russia relations, which was proven during former President Barack Obama's years in office," he said. "Why would we help the Republicans? The relations between Washington and Moscow are deteriorating. Russia has been now named among US adversaries."

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The ambassador emphasized that Moscow does not meddle in internal affairs of foreign states and believes citizens of every country have the right to choose its leaders.

In January 2017, the US intelligence community released a report about Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election. Numerous US committees are currently investigating Moscow's alleged meddling in the November 8 vote. The Kremlin has denied all accusations and called them an attempt to divert public attention from important domestic issues.

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