- Title: Patriotic Russians may have staged cyber attacks on own initiative: Putin
- Date: 1st June 2017
- Summary: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (JUNE 1, 2017) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKING TO MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "Hackers are free-spirited people, they are like artists. If they are in a good mood in the morning they wake up and paint. It is the same for hackers. They wake up today, they read that something is happening in inter-state relations and if they are patriotically-minded, they start to make their own contribution to what they believe is the good fight against those who speak badly about Russia. Is that possible? Theoretically it is possible." JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "On a state level we haven't been involved in this (hacking), we aren't planning to be involved in it. Quite the opposite, we are trying to combat it inside our country. (OVER WIDE OF PUTIN SPEAKING) But in any case I am sure that no hackers could be able to influence an election campaign in any European country or anywhere else, in Asia or America." MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
- Embargoed: 15th June 2017 18:03
- Keywords: attacks hackers election Germany Vladimir Putin Russia
- Location: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- City: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JG6WXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (June 1) that patriotic Russian hackers may have staged cyber attacks against countries that had strained relations with Moscow on their own initiative, but said the Russian state had never been involved in such hacking.
Putin, speaking to international media at an economic forum in St. Petersburg, was answering a question about allegations Moscow might try to interfere in this year's German elections.
Moscow's attitude toward cyber crime is under intense scrutiny after U.S. intelligence officials alleged that Russian hackers had tried to help Republican Donald Trump win the White House, something Russia has flatly denied.
"If they (hackers) are patriotically-minded, they start to make their own contribution to what they believe is the good fight against those who speak badly about Russia. Is that possible? Theoretically it is possible," said Putin.
Likening hackers to free-spirited artists acting according to their moods, he said cyber attacks could be made to look like they had come from Russia when they had not.
Putin also said he was personally convinced that hackers could not materially alter election campaigns in Europe, America or elsewhere.
"On a state level we haven't been involved in this (hacking), we aren't planning to be involved in it. Quite the opposite, we are trying to combat it inside our country," said Putin. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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