NBC News: Vladimir Putin Personally Involved in Russian Attempt to Disrupt the US Election (Video)

Began as Retribution and a Personal Vendetta Against Hillary Clinton

NBC News has just reported that Russian president Vladimir Putin was personally involved in his county’s attempts to disrupt the U.S.Â Election. Citing senior intelligence officials with direct access, NBC News reports this new information comes from “diplomatic sources and spies working for American allies.”

What began as retribution and a personal vendettaÂ against Hillary Clinton “morphed into” an operation to have Clinton lose the race, and to discredit America among foreign governments as an untrustworthy entity.

“Putin’s role was directing the use of the hacked material,” NBC News’s senior investigative and legal correspondentÂ Cynthia McFadden reports.Â

NBC News adds, “a currently serving U.S. intelligence official said that there are things Putin is sensitive about, including anything that makes him seem weak.”

“The former CIA official said the Obama administration may feel compelled to respond before it leaves office.”

“This whole thing has heated up so much,” he said. “I can very easily see them saying, `We can’t just say wow, this was terrible and there’s nothing we can do.'”