Russia 'tired' of 'amateurish' US hacking claims: Kremlin

These allegations are hardly worthy of professional work of truly world class security services, statement says

MOSCOW:

The Kremlin on Monday slammed a hacking report by US intelligence as baseless and amateurish, saying Moscow is growing tired of denying the Russian government's involvement in US election meddling.

"These are baseless allegations substantiated with nothing, done on a rather amateurish, emotional level that is hardly worthy of professional work of truly world class security services," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

US intelligence agencies on Friday released a report saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered a campaign of hacking and media manipulation to upend the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The Kremlin's comments were the first official reaction by Moscow to the public report, which was half the length of the classified version presented to President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump.

"We still don't know what data is really being used by those who present such unfounded accusations," Peskov said.

"We are still categorically denying any implication of Moscow and any accusations that officials or official government agencies have anything to do with hacking attacks."

"We are growing rather tired of these accusations. It is becoming a full on witch hunt," Peskov said, echoing Trump's claim ahead of the briefing by spy chiefs Friday that the hacking revelations were a "political witch hunt" aimed at discrediting him.