Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has branded the former British spy believed to have compiled a dossier on Donald Trump’s alleged links to Russia a “runaway crook”, as he hit out at claims the Kremlin was behind cyber attacks on the US election.
Russia’s most senior diplomat said those in the US intelligence agencies who tried to prove the President-elect had ties to Moscow should be fired.
The barbed comments were aimed at Christopher Steele, a retired MI6 agent, who was last week named as the author of a document that contained explosive claims about the incoming US president.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Mr Lavrov said "some runaway crook from the MI6" was behind the dossier, without naming Mr Steele.
He said the file was a "rude provocation" containing "absurdities" and "fakes" that were aimed at hurting Mr Trump.
The document, made public last week after it was briefed to Barack Obama and Mr Trump, alleged that the President-elect’s inner circle had close ties with the Kremlin.
The file also claimed Russian officials held videos of the New York businessman taking part in unusual sexual activities.
Russia and Mr Trump have continuously denied the claims contained in the dossier.
"These are convulsions of those who realise that their time is running out," Mr Lavrov said.
"That is why various fakes are being fabricated."
He also said Moscow was ready to hold talks with the incoming president, including over nuclear weapons, missile defence and the weaponisation of space.
