--- title: Vladimir Putin Has Another Explanation for Russian Meddling description: Putin was criticized after arguing that those behind U.S. election interference may be minorities like Jews and Tatars with dual citizenship. canonical: https://time.com/5194830/vladimir-putin-jews-tatars-ukrainians-u-s-election-interference/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-11T17:15:01.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:53:33.475Z article:section: Politics og:title: Putin Criticized for Remarks Insinuating Jews Could Be Behind U.S. Election Interference og:description: "Maybe they are not even Russian" og:url: https://time.com/5194830/vladimir-putin-jews-tatars-ukrainians-u-s-election-interference/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc4183a11c2eda004/6988d7f00a4a22d3589cf474/putin-trum-rissoa-us-power.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Finland og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Putin Criticized for Remarks Insinuating Jews Could Be Behind U.S. Election Interference twitter:description: "Maybe they are not even Russian" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc4183a11c2eda004/6988d7f00a4a22d3589cf474/putin-trum-rissoa-us-power.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Putin Criticized for Remarks Insinuating Jews and Other Minority Groups Could Be Behind U.S. Election Interference > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: The FBI Charges 13 Russians in Elaborate Plot to Sow Discord and Influence 2016 Election [Watch (HLS stream): The FBI Charges 13 Russians in Elaborate Plot to Sow Discord and Influence 2016 Election](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bZUzvqw0.m3u8) (1:38)  _Published 2018-02-16. The FBI Charges 13 Russians in Elaborate Plot to Sow Discord and Influence 2016 Election_  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Mar 11, 2018 5:15 PM UTC  Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a joint press conference with Finland's President Sauli Niinisto in Savonlinna, Finland, on July 27, 2017 Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a joint press conference with Finland's President Sauli Niinisto in Savonlinna, Finland, on July 27, 2017 Mikhail Svetlov—Getty Images  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Mar 11, 2018 5:15 PM UTC The Anti-Defamation League has condemned Russian President [Vladimir Putin](http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/18943/putins-air-launched-hypersonic-weapon-appears-to-be-a-modified-iskander-ballistic-missile) for saying it does not bother him that Russian nationals have been indicted by the special counsel’s office for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, by arguing that those responsible may not even be Russian nationals, but minorities like Jews and Tatars with dual citizenship. “I couldn’t care less because they do not represent the government, I could not care less. They do not represent the interests of the Russian state,” Putin [told NBC News’ Megyn Kelly](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/confronting-putin-part-1-1182081091616) in an interview that aired March 9 on the network. “Maybe they are not even Russian. Maybe they are Ukrainians. Tatars. Jews. Just with Russian citizenship. Even that needs to be checked. Maybe they have dual citizenship or maybe a green card. Maybe it was the Americans who paid them for this work. How do you know?” Putin’s comments raised eyebrows among Jewish groups given Russia’s history of anti-Semitic attacks and discrimination against the Jewish people. The Anti-Defamation League spoke out against the remarks on Sunday. “It is deeply disturbing to see the Russian president giving new life to classic anti-Semitic stereotypes that have plagued his country for hundreds of years, with a comment that sounds as if it was ripped from the pages of the “[Protocols of the Elders of Zion,](https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/tOMYCKrGr9F34GL7tvLVaN?domain=adl.pr-optout.com)” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We live in a moment when anti-Semitic violence is on the rise and words can have profound consequences, particularly when spoken by public figures or elected officials like President Putin. We hope he swiftly clarifies his words before they cause further damage to those communities he has singled out.” Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office [indicted](http://time.com/5163141/robert-muellers-russia-indictments-election-interference/) 13 Russian nationals last month for attempting to sow discord in the U.S. electorate and interfere in the election, largely through social media campaigns. ## Transcript The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system, including the 2016 presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called information warfare Against the United States. With the stated goal of spreading distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general. The conspiracy was part of a larger operation called Project Lockdown. The defendants allegedly purchase space on computer servers. Located here in the United States in order to set up a virtual private network. The defendants allegedly used that infrastructure to establish hundreds of accounts on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter making it appear that those accounts were controlled by persons located in the United States. The defendants posed as politically and socially active Americans. Advocating for and against particular candidates. They establish social media pages and groups to communicate with unwitting Americans. The defendants and their co- conspirators pretended to be grass roots activists. According to the indictment, the Americans did not know That they were communicating with Russians. After the election the defendant's allegedly staged rallies to support the president elect while simultaneously staging rallies to protest his election. 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