Moscow has largely ignored the former FBI director James Comey’s testimony at the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, which alleged that Russia interfered in the US election. Instead, President Vladimir Putin concentrated on his meetings with the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana. 

Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the hacking of the US election before, demanding Washington to provide proof of the allegation. 

However, speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin admitted that patriotic Russian hackers may have staged cyber attacks against countries that had strained relations with Moscow on their own initiative. 

“What the Russian side, including the President, is showing in the message that they are sending is, ‘there is no way for you to get us. There is no way for you to make us admit what we are unwilling to admit.” said Maria Lipman, an independent political analyst. 

Moscow has previously called these allegations “unfounded and nonsense”, insisting it had nothing to do with the US election and claims that it did not interfere, despite US intelligence agencies saying otherwise. The Kremlin said Washington should either prove its accusations or drop the issue.