Putin: WH, Democratic Party Blaming All Their Failures on External Factors

Commenting on the alleged Russian hacking attacks during the US presidential election campaign Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the year-end press conference that the current US leadership and Democratic Party are trying to blame all their failures on external factors.

The current US administration are looking for external culprits in situation with the US presidential elections, this demeans their own dignity, Vladimir Putin said.

"The current [US] administration and the leadership of the US Democratic Party are trying to put the blame for all their failures on external factors. We know that the Democratic Party has lost not only the presidential elections, but also the Senate [race], where the Republicans now have a majority, and in the Congress, where the Republicans have a majority [as well]. Is it also my doing?" Putin said.

On December 9, US media reported that the CIA allegedly concluded in a "secret" assessment that Russia had meddled in the November presidential elections and helped Republican candidate Donald Trump win. The reports have been mocked by Trump, whose team said the electoral victory was decisive and called the assessment "ridiculous."

Russian senior officials have repeatedly denied Washington’s claims of election-meddling, characterizing them as absurd and an attempt to distract the US public from pressing domestic issues.