US indicts Russian intel officers ahead of Trump-Putin meet

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02:22

Twelve Russian intelligence officers were charged on Friday with hacking Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic Party in a stunning indictment just three days before US President Donald Trump meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The charges were drawn up by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who is looking into alleged Russian interference in the November 2016 vote and whether any members of Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow.

Democratic leaders immediately called for Trump to cancel Monday's scheduled meeting with Putin in Helsinki, but the White House said the summit would go ahead.

'Election result not affected'

"It's on," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

The 29-page indictment accuses members of the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU of carrying out "large-scale cyber operations" to steal Clinton campaign and Democratic Party documents and emails.

The US Department of Justice headquarters building. /VCG Photo

"There's no allegation that the conspiracy changed the vote count or affected any election result," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in announcing the charges at a press conference in Washington.

"There's no allegation in this indictment that any American citizen committed a crime," Rosenstein added, although the "conspirators corresponded with several Americans during the course of the conspiracy through the internet."

However, he said, "There's no allegation in this indictment that the Americans knew they were corresponding with Russian intelligence officers."

Rosenstein said he briefed Trump about the indictment before Friday's announcement and that the timing was determined by "the facts, the evidence, and the law."

News of the indictment came as Trump was meeting Queen Elizabeth II and just 72 hours before his meeting with Putin.

File photo of Putin and Trump /VCG Photo

Speaking in Britain before the indictments were unveiled, Trump said he would ask Putin about the allegations of election meddling.

"I will absolutely, firmly ask the question, and hopefully we'll have a good relationship with Russia," he told a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

But he simultaneously denounced the Mueller investigation as a "rigged witch hunt," and said he has been "tougher on Russia than anybody."

No 'knowing involvement' by Team Trump

In a statement, the White House highlighted Rosenstein's remarks that no Americans had been charged.

"Today's charges include no allegations of knowing involvement by anyone on the campaign and no allegations that the alleged hacking affected the election result," it said. "This is consistent with what we have been saying all along."

Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said on Twitter that the indictments were "good news for all Americans."

"The Russians are nailed. No Americans are involved. Time for Mueller to end this pursuit of the President and say President Trump is completely innocent," Giuliani said.

File photo of Rosenstein /VCG Photo

Rosenstein called for unity in the face of alleged Russian meddling.

"When we confront foreign interference in American elections, it is important for us to avoid thinking politically as Republicans or Democrats and instead to think patriotically as Americans," he said.

Russia: Indictment is groundless

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said there was no evidence the 12 people indicted by the US were linked to military intelligence or hacked into the computer networks of the US Democratic party.

The ministry said the indictment was meant to damage the atmosphere before the summit between Putin and Trump in Helsinki on Monday.

(With input from agencies.)