U.S. Officials: Russian President Putin Personally Involved In DNC Hacks

NBC News: U.S. Officials: Putin Personally Involved in U.S. Election Hack

U.S. intelligence officials now believe with "a high level of confidence" that Russian President Vladimir Putin became personally involved in the covert Russian campaign to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, senior U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News.

Two senior officials with direct access to the information say new intelligence shows that Putin personally directed how hacked material from Democrats was leaked and otherwise used. The intelligence came from diplomatic sources and spies working for U.S. allies, the officials said.

Putin's objectives were multifaceted, a high-level intelligence source told NBC News. What began as a "vendetta" against Hillary Clinton morphed into an effort to show corruption in American politics and to "split off key American allies by creating the image that [other countries] couldn't depend on the U.S. to be a credible global leader anymore," the official said.

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WNU Editor: The Kremlin responds .... Kremlin dismisses as ‘ludicrous’ new media reports on Putin’s influence on US elections(TASS). More Russian denials here .... US Has No Information on Claims That Russia’s Putin Was Involved in Hacking (Sputnik). What's my take .... until the U.S. provides evidence (which I am betting that they will not) .... these claims are meaningless .... but .... because they will be used to question the legitimacy of Donald Trump's electin win, my prediction is that this story is going to play on for the next few weeks.

Update: President-elect Trump responds .... Trump renews questions about U.S. hacking tied to Russia (Reuters). More here .... Trump Dismisses Claim That Putin Was Involved In Computer Hack (CBS).

More News On Reports That Russian President Putin Was Personally Involved In DNC Hacks

Officials: Master Spy Vladimir Putin Now Directly Linked to US Hacking -- ABC News
U.S. intelligence: Russian President Vladimir Putin approved hack of Democrats -- UPI
Vladimir Putin likely gave go-ahead for US cyberattack, intelligence officials say -- CBS News
Vladimir Putin was personally involved in Russian hacking of US election, officials say -- International Business Times
Kremlin Calls NBC Report Putin Directed Hack 'Laughable Nonsense' -- CNBC
Kremlin denies report that Putin was involved in DNC hacks -- AP
Russia Rejects as ‘Rubbish’ Claims Putin Directed U.S. Hacking -- Bloomberg
Did Putin Direct Russian Hacking? And Other Big Questions -- The Atlantic