PUTIN ORDERED "INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN" AIMED AT U.S. ELECTION, REPORT SAYS
American intelligence officials have concluded that the president of Russia, Vladimir V. Putin, personally "ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election", and turned from seeking to denigrate Hillary Clinton to developing "a clear preference for Donald Trump".
The conclusions were part of a declassified intelligence report, ordered by President Obama, that was released on Friday (March 3, 2017).
-NY TIMES, January 6, 2017 - David E. Sanger, Chief Washington Reporter