Outrageous and offensive: Kremlin slams White House for calling Putin corrupt
The Kremlin on Friday lashed out at the White House after it backed up an allegation from the US Treasury that President Vladimir Putin is corrupt.
Moscow: The Kremlin on Friday lashed out at the White House after it backed up an allegation from the US Treasury that President Vladimir Putin is corrupt.
US Treasury acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Adam Szubin said in a BBC documentary aired Monday that Putin was a "picture of corruption".
White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Thursday backed up that line, saying that the Treasury's assessment "best reflects the administration view."
Related Articles
The Kremlin has already dismissed the US Treasury claim that it said amounted to an "official accusation", but ratcheted up the rhetoric after the White House got involved.
"We consider this statement outrageous and offensive," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
"We really need further explanation because such a statement is absolutely unprecedented."
Ties between Moscow and Washington have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Russia's meddling in Ukraine.
The two sides, however, are currently engaged in an international peace push on the conflict in Syria, although they support different sides in the civil war.
Peskov accused Washington of firing the starting gun on attempts to discredit Putin ahead of Russia's next presidential elections in 2018, even though he insisted Putin has not yet decided to run.
Russian authorities have repeatedly accused the West of plotting to overthrow Putin, but critics insist an elite around the strongman is whipping up public fears as they cement their grip over the country's vast wealth.
AFP
Join our Whatsapp channel to get the latest global news updates
also read
US strikes 2 facilities in Syria following attacks by Iran-backed militia
Biden has sent a rare message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning Tehran against targeting US personnel in the Middle East, the White House said earlier on Thursday
Vantage | Why risk of Hamas-Israel war spillover is more real than ever
In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, a series of alarming events have transpired, bringing to the forefront the safety of US troops stationed in West Asia
‘You will never defeat Moscow’: Russia shreds sweeping new US sanctions
Russian President Putin is girding the $2.1 trillion economy for a long war and Western hopes of stoking a swift Russian economic crisis with some of the toughest sanctions ever imposed have not been realised so far