Senate Intelligence Committee members have promised a comprehensive, bipartisan investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A similar investigation in the House of Representatives has stalled after House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes, R-Calif., bypassed the committee to first brief the White House on intelligence claims. At a forum in Russia on Mar. 30, 2017, President Vladimir Putin denied any allegations of meddling in the election.
At least six Russians have been arrested in Europe on international warrants since July, McClatchy Newspapers reported.
The arrests are part of a larger push on Russian hacking, according to a former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official who spoke to NBC News. Some of the hackers in the dragnet may have information on the election hacking.
Cyber experts have long reported that Russian security services use "patriotic" hackers to carry out attacks on intelligence targets. If a hacker refuses to help, it could lead to trouble with Russian authorities.
Pyotr Levashov, 32, was the latest Russian hacker arrested, just last week in Barcelona. Others were arrested in Prague, Thailand and Finland.
