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Russia: Accusations of Spies Behind Cyber Attacks Are 'Diabolical' Cocktail

Maria Zakharova (Artyom Geodakyan / TASS)

Russia has dismissed allegations by Britain and the Netherlands of running a global campaign of cyber attacks to undermine democracies, including a thwarted attempt to hack into the United Nations chemical weapons watchdog while it was analyzing a Russian poison used to attack a spy.

Speaking at a press conference, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the reports a "diabolical perfume cocktail" of allegations by someone with a "rich imagination." 

Russia's embassy to London said in a statement that British accusations that Russian spies were behind global cyber attacks lacked proof and were part of a crude disinformation campaign.

"This statement is irresponsible," the embassy said. "As is traditional, it is not backed by any proof and is another element in an anti-Russian campaign being conducted by the British government."

But the accusations deepen Moscow's isolation at a time when its diplomatic ties with the West have been downgraded over the poisoning of an ex-spy in England and it is under U.S. and EU sanctions over its actions in Ukraine.

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