International security

Vladimir Putin fights election-tampering accusations with his own shots at US

Russian President Vladimir Putin turned the tables on claims the Kremlin meddled in the U.S. presidential election, with a feisty Putin on Friday accusing American spies of “crude and systematic” widespread interference in Russian affairs.

Putin, speaking at an economic forum in St. Petersburg moderated by NBC’s Megyn Kelly, said the probe into Russia’s alleged attempts to influence the election via collusion with President Trump’s campaign team was merely “hysteria,” Reuters reported. He even tried to calm an inquisitive Kelly by asking: “Isn’t there a pill they can give you?”

He also compared the anti-Russian sentiment in the U.S. to anti-Semitism.

“It’s like saying everything is the Jews’ fault,” said Putin, who placed the blame for Hillary Clinton’s November loss squarely at the feet of the Democratic presidential candidate and members of her party.