A Close Putin Ally Says Russia Is Interfering in the U.S. Midterm Elections
With alarm over foreign manipulation of the U.S. midterm elections swirling ahead of Tuesdays vote, an influential Russian businessman and close associate of President Vladimir V. Putin sardonically boasted on Monday that Russia was interfering in the election.
Gentlemen, we have interfered, we do interfere and we will interfere, the businessman, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, known as Putins Chef, said in a statement, posted by his catering company. We will do it carefully, precisely, surgically as we are capable of doing it. During our targeted operations, we will remove both kidneys and liver at once.
RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news agency, described the comments as ironic. But Mr. Prigozhin the founder of a shadowy mercenary force closely linked to the Kremlin has been accused of being deeply involved in such operations. In 2018, he was indicted by the United States in a case involving the troll factory that spearheaded Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 elections in the United States.
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