WASHINGTON – Twelve Russian intelligence officers were indicted by a USgrand jury on Friday, just three days before President Donald Trump isscheduled to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, for interfering inthe 2016 presidential election.

Announced by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the charges were drawnup by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who islooking into Russian interference in the November 2016 vote.

Rosenstein told reporters the Russian military officers were accused of”conspiring to interfere with the 2016 presidential election,” including byhacking Democratic Party emails ahead of the vote.

“Eleven of the defendants are charged with conspiring to hack intocomputers, steal documents, and release those documents with the intent tointerfere in the election,” he said.

“One of those defendants and a 12th Russian are charged with conspiring toinfiltrate computers of organizations involved in administering elections.”

Rosenstein said he had briefed Trump about the indictment before Friday’sannouncement.

Trump, who is currently visiting Britain, is scheduled to meet with Putinin Helsinki on Monday. – APP/AFP