By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russian allegations that the United States is trying to meddle in its presidential election are “categorically false,” the White House said on Tuesday, renewing its accusations of Moscow election interference in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service on Monday said, without providing evidence, that it had received information that President Joe Biden’s administration had set out to meddle in its election, state media reported.
The SVR, the main successor to the KGB’s First Directorate foreign spying service, also alleged the U.S. planned to launch a cyber attack on the online voting system, state media said.
“These allegations are categorically false and nothing more than propaganda,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson said. “The U.S. has not and will not meddle in Russia’s election.”
“It is Russia that has a long history of targeting U.S. and other democratic elections. Rather than projecting falsehoods, it is Russia that should cease these activities,” the spokesperson said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is almost certain to win the March 15-17 presidential election, has warned the West that any attempts by foreign powers to meddle in the ballot would be considered an act of aggression.
The United States will hold its own election in November as Biden, a Democrat, seeks reelection in a likely rematch against former Republican president Donald Trump, who lost his 2020 bid for a second term to the current president.
Last week, the Kremlin said Russia will not meddle in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential contest and dismissed American findings that Moscow orchestrated campaigns to sway both the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Katharine Jackson; editing by Susan Heavey)
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