Russia calls US 'Kremlin Report' attempt to influence presidential election

The "Kremlin Report" by the US, a potential sanction list of pro-Kremlin Russians, is an overt attempt to influence the upcoming Russian presidential election in March, the Kremlin said on Monday.

"We indeed believe that this is a direct and obvious attempt to coincide some actions with the election in order to influence it. We disagree with this and we are convinced that it will exert no influence," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Xinhua reported.

The US Treasury Department is expected to release the "Kremlin Report" on Monday, which could be the basis for possible new sanctions against Russian individuals whom US authorities consider to be close to the Kremlin.

Moscow will analyse the report and the action following the report to ensure its interests and the interests of related Russian companies when it is made public, Peskov said.

US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman said, however, that there would be nothing new in the "Kremlin Report" since it was drafted based on the US legislation six months ago.

--IANS

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