MOSCOW (AP) — Vladimir Putin says he doesn't care about alleged Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election because the actions weren't connected to his government.

In an interview with the US TV network NBC, the Russian president was asked if he condoned the interference by 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies detailed in a US indictment.

"I do not care at all, because they do not represent the government," he said, according to the interview transcript posted Saturday by the Kremlin.

"Maybe they are not even Russians but Ukrainians, Tatars or Jews but with Russian citizenship, which should also be checked; maybe they have dual citizenship of a green card; maybe the US paid them for this. How can you know that? I do not know either," he said.