Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow had its “work cut out” influencing the presidential elections in the United States last year.
The country has been accused of engaging in state-sponsored hacking, media propaganda and disinformation campaigns in several elections in the past year, including the U.S. presidential elections and the Brexit vote. The Kremlin has denied all accusations.
“We had our work cut out for us, it isn’t simple,” Lavrov said in an interview with the pro-Kremlin NTV network published on Facebook.
When asked about a list of countries Russia is accused of meddling in, including France, Britain and Germany, Russia's Foreign Minister said the list was much longer.
“You haven’t even listed all of what we’ve done in the past year,” Lavrov said, adding that the list should include Denmark, Sweden, Macedonia, Montenegro and Austria.
“But we haven’t been able to oust the Japanese emperor yet,” he told the “Mezhdunarodnaya Pilorama” program hosted by film director Tigran Keosayan.
“That's in two years. We’ve done everything to make it happen sooner, but he begged to have two years,” Lavrov said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
