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Russia has firmly denied any accusations of interfering in US elections, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejecting the allegations as unfounded. Speaking at a briefing on July 17, Peskov said, "We reject all accusations, we reject them resolutely," in response to the US inclusion of Russia on a list of countries allegedly attempting to influence US elections.

Coverage Comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, provided extensive coverage of the Kremlin's response. In one report, Peskov's statements were the main topic of the briefing, alongside an update on President Vladimir Putin's schedule. The agency also quoted Peskov as criticizing US President Donald Trump for referring to "vague and unsubstantiated information from US intelligence agencies" when speaking of Russia as a threat to US elections.

In a separate TASS article, Peskov emphasized that "Russia has never interfered in the internal affairs of others, and we expect that no one will try to interfere in our internal affairs." The same message was echoed in a third TASS report, which included comments from US Congress member Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, who argued that allegations of Russian interference were part of a political campaign to set the two nations against each other.

Key Claims

  • Russia's Denial: Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov categorically rejected accusations of election interference, stating, "We reject any accusations, we reject them resolutely." He added that Russia has never interfered in the internal affairs of other states and expects the same in return.
  • Prior Investigations: Peskov noted that earlier investigations by American agencies concluded that Russia had no influence on US elections. "Let's remember that various investigations were conducted in the United States. They all came to the conclusion that Russia in no way influenced the elections," he said, citing parliamentary commissions and the Attorney's Office.
  • Trump's Allegations: Peskov criticized Trump's statements, saying the president "refers to some vague and unsubstantiated information from US intelligence agencies" when characterizing Russia as a threat to election integrity.
  • Political Campaign Claims: US Congress member Anna Paulina Luna told TASS that claims of Russian interference were disseminated as part of a "political operation that really tried to pit the American people against the Russian people." She referenced declassified documents through the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) under Tulsi Gabbard, who served as director from February 2025 to June 2026, saying that the alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election "has been disproven."
  • Previous Rejections: TASS reported that both President Trump and his administration officials have repeatedly rejected accusations of improper contacts with Russian officials, and Moscow has consistently denied any attempts to influence the outcome of US presidential elections.

Perspectives

Kremlin (Dmitry Peskov): The Kremlin denies all accusations of election interference, asserting that Russia has never meddled in the internal affairs of other states. Peskov emphasizes that prior US investigations found no evidence of Russian influence, and he dismisses Trump's allegations as based on vague and unsubstantiated intelligence information.

US Congress member Anna Paulina Luna: Luna, a Republican, supports the denial of Russian collusion, arguing that allegations were part of a political campaign to pit Americans against Russians. She cites declassified documents as proof that the 2016 collusion claims were disproven, aligning with the Kremlin's position.