The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Putin denied meddling in the U.S. election. The CIA caught him doing just that.

June 23, 2017 at 10:25 a.m. EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly — and often tauntingly — denied that his government interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential race. Earlier this month he said that the cyber campaign might have been the work of “patriotically minded” Russian hackers he likened to “artists” who take to canvases to express their moods and political views.