The storm over a cyberattack on U.S. government agencies only helps Russian President Vladimir Putin¡¯s image at home as a strong leader unafraid to confront the former Cold War enemy, even as the Kremlin denies involvement amid fears of a backlash when Joe Biden enters the White House.
¡°Inside the country it bolsters the authorities¡¯ prestige,¡± said Andrey Kortunov, head of the Kremlin-founded Russian International Affairs Council. ¡°Outside Russia, it only deepens mistrust and this creates risks¡± by stoking hostility in Washington and other Western capitals, he said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo became the highest ranking U.S. official to link Moscow to the attacks, saying in a radio interview on Friday that Putin ¡°remains a real risk to those of us who love freedom.¡±
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