MOSCOW, December 17./TASS/. Russian hackers have not interfered with domestic affairs of the US, nor did they help Donald Trump to get elected, President Vladimir Putin told the annual news conference on Thursday.

"Why didn’t Russian hackers help Trump to get elected this time?" he reiterated, as he began to reply to a reporter’s question. "I think this is not a question on your part, but a provocation. Russian hackers did not help the so far sitting president of the United States, or interfered in the domestic affairs of this great power," Putin stressed.

These allegations "are conjectures, reasons for marring relations between Russia and the US, the reason for not recognizing the legitimacy of the so far incumbent president of the US for internal American considerations".

"In this sense, Russian-American relations have become a hostage to the domestic policy of the US," the Russian president went on to say. "In my opinion, this is bad for them, but this is their choice, let them do whatever they want to," he added.