"When a guilty mind betrays itself, a punishment usually follows, even if the crime has not been committed yet. Relevant US plans, if they are definitely confirmed, are a crime against the international law, and the global community should condemn this firmly and comprehensively", Kosachev wrote on Facebook.
Responding to Trump's accusations, The New York Times said that it had shown the article to the US government, and national security officials had expressed no concerns, Kosachev recalled.
"So, this dispute between Trump and the press escalates to something much more significant, to a confirmation that the United States, at the state level, is preparing destructive cyberattacks against other states. And this is the same US that accuses Russia, China, Iran, Cuba and North Korea of breaking into computer systems", Kosachev said.
US Steps Up Cyber Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid - Report https://t.co/sVdwGxHKDY pic.twitter.com/MfEJPtgEOK
— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) June 15, 2019
The New York Times newspaper reported on Saturday, citing unnamed current and former government officials, that the United States was stepping up online attacks on the Russian power grid, demonstrating US President Donald Trump's determination to use cyber tools more aggressively.
Trump refuted the reports, calling the article a "virtual act of treason" and slamming the newspaper as "the enemy of the people."