Members of the presidential campaign, Donald trump was in contact with senior officials of Russian intelligence, as evidenced by the phone records and intercepted calls. This writes The New York Times, citing sources.
According to one of them, American law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted calls around the same time when they were looking for evidence that Russia tried to interfere in the election process by penetrating into the computer resources of the Democrats. Intelligence agencies were trying to figure out whether the team trump in collusion with the Russians in the break-in process.
However, officials interviewed in recent weeks said that so far not seen evidence of such cooperation.
According to sources, the intercepted conversations were not only officials of the headquarters of the trump, but other associates of Republican. From the Russian side contacts supported by representatives of countries not belonging to the security services, they added.
Speaking about specific individuals, sources mentioned Paul Manafort, who a few months last year headed a staff of trump, and before that worked as a political consultant in Ukraine during the rule of President Viktor Yanukovych, ousted in 2014.
What was discussed during phone conversations, the sources said. They also did not disclose the identity of the Russian people and the number of trump’s advisors who had contacts with the Russians.
On 20 January it was reported that US intelligence agencies are investigating possible ties between members of the team trump with Russia, and that in the hands of investigators, there is evidence of intercepted conversations and financial transactions. As one of the suspects called Manafort, as well as former and current advisers of trump, including former assistant to the foreign policy of the Carter Paige and Roger stone.
Before that, the American media published the information that ostensibly in Moscow for five years has supported the Trump and collected on his extensive compromising. The allegations contained in the reports of a former agent of British intelligence, which formed the basis of the report of US intelligence about alleged Russian interference in American elections. Later, however, it was announced that the report is likely to be a surge of Internet trolls.