Putin Suggests 'Patriotic' Hackers May Have Attacked Critics of Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied any involvement of his government in cyberattacks on political campaigns and election processes outside the country, but suggested that some Russian hackers may have acted 'out of a sense of patriotism.' On June 1, during a meeting with senior editors of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Putin addressed questions and comments centered around allegations from U.S. and Western intelligence agencies regarding Moscow's virtual and propaganda interventions in the U.S. election campaign and several other European countries. In response to concerns raised about Russian hackers attacking the general election campaign in Germany scheduled for September, Putin stated, 'Hackers are free people. Like artists... If they are in a good mood, they wake up in the morning and start painting with their feelings.' He added, 'Hackers are the same... They wake up, read something about global events, and if they have a sense of patriotism, then they try to play their role in countering those who speak badly about Russia.' The Russian President emphasized that his government has no role in cyberattacks and does not intend to get involved: 'We are trying to fight this trend within the country.' According to Putin, 'no hacker can influence any election campaign' and 'hackers can come from anywhere in the world.' Senior U.S. intelligence officials described Russia as a threat to a wide range of U.S. interests, claiming it uses a 'very advanced and aggressive cyber program' with complex capabilities. They also stated that Russia undoubtedly interfered in last year's U.S. presidential election. The Kremlin has emphatically denied these accusations. Donald Trump has claimed that these allegations are an 'excuse' for Democrats and others who lost in last year's election to justify their defeat. In the Thursday meeting, Putin described the U.S. President as a 'straightforward and frank' person who has a 'fresh and new perspective' on global politics. He also criticized what he called 'Russophobia' in some countries, stating that Western sanctions against Moscow—following the annexation of part of Ukraine—have had no impact on Russia. However, he expressed hope that these sanctions would end as they are 'not constructive for either side.' In part of his remarks at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, he criticized the establishment of U.S. missile defense systems in Alaska and South Korea, calling them a 'challenge' for Russia. The U.S. claims these systems are for defending the country and its allies, including East Asia, against threats such as a potential nuclear attack from North Korea.