These leaks led to the government of Ecuador severing Assange’s internet access in their London embassy to prevent him from trying to “interfere in electoral processes.”
Somewhat alarmingly, and with admittedly limited evidence, the Russian government has been implicated in helping WikiLeaks to procure these 11th-hour e-mails, raising fears of a foreign government – with an obvious geopolitical interest in the outcome of an American election – decisively impacting an electoral result.
US intelligence agencies and US President Barack Obama seem to be convinced of Russia’s involvement, and of the authorization of the operations by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, but have elaborated little on their reasoning. For his part, Donald Trump has dismissed allegations of decisive Russian influence on the election with a degree of impatience. The allegations are made all the more troubling for some by the fact that Trump has expressed admiration of Putin and is alleged to have personal and business connections in Russia.
