Washington (CNN) A Russian politician appeared to mock the US intelligence community in a recent television appearance, saying American spies "slept through while Russia elected a new US president." Vyacheslav Nikonov, a member of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, made the snarky reference to Russian interference in the 2016 US election on Sunday during a weekly political show called "Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov." "(To achieve world dominance) the US overextended themselves," Nikonov said. "Because the most recent tendencies, economical, military, even tendencies in the intelligence (services) which slept through while Russia elected a new US president."Vyacheslav Nikonov, a member of the Russian parliament, made the snarky commentNikonov's tone suggests that the remarks were made in jest
In March, CNN reported that Kislyak is considered by US intelligence to be one of _'s top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington, citing senior US government officials.