Russia Surprised State Dept. Echoes 2016 Election Legitimacy Doubts

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia finds it strange that the US State Department is playing along those who doubt legitimacy of Donald Trump's election as the US president by making statements about Russia's alleged meddling in the elections via social media, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"It is strange that the US State Department openly backs those powers inside its own country that are trying to question the legitimacy of the US presidential election, thereby dividing the American society … Who is the State Department working for?" Zakharova told a briefing.

READ MORE: US Says Firms Working in Russian Energy Pipeline Sector Face Sanctions Risk

On Tuesday, Facebook removed 32 ads and accounts they deemed "inauthentic." However, the social media giant said they do not know who is responsible for them. On Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert applauded Facebook for removing foreign accounts meant to sow discord and called on Russia to stop "reckless behavior."

Over the past several years, the United States has introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over allegations on their interference in Ukraine's affairs, as well as alleged meddling in Western elections, and purported malicious cyber activity.

Russia has repeatedly refuted all the accusations and taken retaliatory economic restrictions.