Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned allegations of Russia interfering with the U.S. election as “fictional, illusory, provocations and lies.” He made the comments on Thursday, when speaking at a panel session in the Russian city of Archangel, according to CNN.
When asked directly if Russia helped get Donald Trump elected as president, Putin responded: “Read my lips. No,” according to CNN.
The U.S. House and Senate have launched individual intelligence committees to explore possible ties between Russian officials and members of US President Donald Trump’s campaign team.
The U.S. intelligence community has stated that Putin had ordered an “influence campaign” designed to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.