Kremlin Denies UK Claims of Vote Meddling, Vaccine Hacking

The Kremlin on Thursday denied claims by Britain that “Russian actors” sought to meddle in last year’s general election and that Russian intelligence services most likely hacked coronavirus vaccine research.

“We have no information on who could have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Britain,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency.

“We can only say this: Russia has nothing to do with these attempts.”

Britain’s cyber-security agency on Thursday accused a hacking group it said “almost certainly” operates as part of Russian intelligence services of trying to steal information on coronavirus vaccines.

The National Cyber Security Centre said targets include UK, US and Canadian vaccine research and development organisations.

But Peskov said: “We do not accept such accusations.”

The same applied to “the latest groundless allegations of interference in 2019 elections”, he said.

The British government accused “Russian actors” of seeking to disrupt last year’s general election by circulating leaked trade documents between London and Washington.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier mocked the British claim, saying it was “so hazy and contradictory that it’s practically impossible to understand”.

“On the one hand, there’s no evidence. On the other hand they are talking about some retaliatory measures. These things are mutually exclusive,” she said.

Related: UK, US, Canada Accuse Russia of Hacking Virus Vaccine Trials