Russian President Vladimir Putin (68) personally is said to have given the green light to a secret service operation to support ex-US President Donald Trump’s (75) candidacy in 2016. This is evident from documents apparently leaked from the Kremlin, as reported by “The Guardian”.
Whether the papers are genuine cannot be confirmed. The newspaper – itself in possession of the documents – has presented them to “independent experts,” as it is called. The general tone and thrust should be in line with the Kremlin’s security thinking. “Western intelligence services” reportedly had known about the documents for a few months and carefully examined them.
“Impulsive, psychologically unstable individual”
The papers claim that the Kremlin has compromising material about Trump. The alleged secret documents also contain a brief psychological profile of the candidate at the time. The current ex-president is described as an “impulsive, mentally unstable and unbalanced individual” who “suffers from an inferiority complex”.
It should also show that Putin decided in January 2016 at a meeting with his espionage chiefs and high-ranking ministers to support Trump. The Kremlin leadership agreed that the United States would plunge into “social unrest” with Trump in the White House. It would also weaken the US president’s negotiating position.
Provided with a signature
After the meeting, Putin reportedly issued a decree ordering intelligence services to find practical ways to support Trump. According to “The Guardian”, the document appears to be signed by Putin. A report allegedly produced by Putin’s expert department recommends using “all possible forces” to ensure a victory for Trump.
Andrei Soldatov, Russian journalist, author and expert on Russian intelligence services, says the material “reflects reality”. It is consistent with the procedures in Moscow. Andrew Wood, British Ambassador to Moscow from 1995 to 2000, finds the documents “fascinating”. “They reflect the kind of discussion and recommendations one would expect.”
The Kremlin rejects the allegations. Putin’s press spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the idea that the Russian leadership met and agreed to support Trump at the meeting in early 2016 is nothing but a “big trash novel”. Trump did not respond to a request from the newspaper for comment. (noo)
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