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Mueller investigation: Thirteen Russians charged with interfering in US election Mueller investigation: Thirteen Russians charged with interfering in US election
(35 minutes later)
 A federal grand jury in Washington, DC has indicted 13 Russian nationals and a Kremlin-linked internet firm on charges that they had meddled in the 2016 presidential election. A federal grand jury in Washington, DC has indicted 13 Russian nationals and a Kremlin-linked internet firm on charges that they had meddled in the 2016 presidential election.
The US government said Russian entities began interfering in US political processes, including the 2016 presidential election, as early as 2014, according to a court document viewed by Reuters.  The US government said Russian entities began interfering in US political processes, including the 2016 presidential election, as early as 2014, according to a court document. 
Some of the defendants, posing as US persons, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump campaign, the indictment said. The Internet Research Agency and the Russians have been accused of using social media and staging rallies with the “strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system.” Some of the defendants, posing as US persons, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump campaign, the indictment said.
The charges have been brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. His probe is also looking into whether members of Donald Trump's campaign colluded with the Russian government.  The charges – which include conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft – are the most direct allegations to date of illegal Russian meddling in the election. 
More follows... They were brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. His probe is also looking into whether members of Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with the Russian government. 
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said at a news conference that there is no indication in the indictment that an American was knowingly involved in US election meddling. 
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters he was not yet familiar with the US indictments of Russian nationals. “We have not yet familiarised ourselves (with the indictments),” Mr Peskov said in response to a request for comment from the news agency. 
Before Friday, four people, including Mr Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, had been charged in Mr Mueller’s investigation. Mr Flynn pleaded guilty for lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Meanwhile, Mr Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in the Russia probe.