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Was Morgan Freeman 'Set Up'? Russia’s Foreign Ministry Thinks So

Morgan Freeman Carlo Allegri / Reuters

The Russian government has offered another theory to explain Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman’s cameo in a video campaign calling for an investigation into Russian interference in U.S. affairs.

In the video shared online on Monday, Freeman said the United States was “at war” with Russia.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that, "Morgan Freeman was set up, just like Colin Powell was in his day," referencing the former secretary of state’s initial support for U.S. war in Iraq.

"This is another case where the short-sighted goal justifies any means," she added.

Washington has launched three investigations and an independent special counsel probe into allegations that Russia influenced the 2016 presidential election in support of President Donald Trump.

The Committee to Investigate Russia, the non-profit group which published Freeman’s appeal, says it wants to help Americans “understand the gravity of Russia’s continuing attacks on our democracy."

The Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday described Freeman’s plea “as purely emotional.”

“Many creative people fall prey to emotional stress without real information about the real state of things.”

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