WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th August, 2018) The US State Department refused to confirm reports on Thursday that the job title of a newly created diplomatic post - senior advisor for Russian malign activities and trends (SARMAT) - was intended as a jab at President Vladimir Putin.
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell revealed during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing earlier this week that the State Department had created the SARMAT post "to develop cross-regional strategies across offices."
US media reported on Thursday that the title of the post was not a coincidence. Mitchell's announcement followed a speech by Putin earlier this year in which he unveiled Russia's progress in developing the Sarmat, a new intercontinental missile that can defeat US interception systems. CNBC reported that a State Department official confirmed a link between the title of the new post and Putin's speech in which he announced breakthroughs in the Sarmat program.
But when contacted by Sputnik and asked about details of the position - including about the job title, who will take up the post, when they will start and what responsibilities they will have - a State Department spokesperson said, "For now, we'd refer you to his [Mitchell] recent remarks. If we have anything further we'll let you know."
Mitchell did not provide additional details about the post during his Senate testimony.
The Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with an operational range of no less than 5,500 kilometers, is part of the Russian government's plan to modernize the country's nuclear forces by 2020.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the United States have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Washington introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions after Crimea rejoined Russia following a popular referendum not recognized by the West. Russia has refuted accusations of its involvement in the Ukraine conflict and has imposed retaliatory economic restrictions.
A new wave of sanctions followed the West's allegations that Russia sponsored malign cyberactivity - charges Moscow has called groundless. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has noted that the West provided no evidence to substantiate its claims, adding that such ill-founded accusations have been completely debunked.
