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Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election, marking a significant shift from his earlier alignment with Donald Trump.
Putin, who previously expressed a preference for Trump and later Joe Biden, unexpectedly endorsed Harris in a statement on Thursday, September 5.
Speaking about the Democratic nominee, Putin said, "President Biden recommended voters support Ms Harris; we will also support her."
He added a light-hearted comment about her personality, "She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her."
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Putin's ties with Trump
The endorsement comes as a surprise, given Putin's known sympathies for Trump during his presidency.
However, earlier this year, Putin remarked that Biden was a more "predictable" politician than Trump, highlighting a pragmatic approach to his political allegiances.
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This development arrives amidst heightened tensions between Russia and the US. Just a day before Putin's remarks, the Biden administration sanctioned Russian state media employees, seized Kremlin-controlled websites, and imposed new measures against what it perceives as Russian disinformation campaigns.
Putin also criticised France for arresting Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, calling the action "selective" in nature.
Additionally, he dismissed Ukraine's invasion of Russia's Kursk region, claiming it had little impact on Moscow's broader military goals.