MULTIPLE hoax calls made to MPs, including Priti Patel, has now been put down to Russia.

Home Secretary and MP for Witham Priti Patel, alongside Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, said they had been targeted by calls form imposters last week.

Number 10 also revealed an unsuccessful attempt was almost made to contact Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.

It has now been publicly stated by Downing Street that they believe Russia was behind the calls.

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The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Russian state was responsible for the hoax telephone calls made to UK ministers last week.

“This is standard practice for Russian information operations and disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook to try to distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and the human rights abuses being committed there.”

Mr Wallace had previously said he believed Russia was behind the incident but this is the first time the Government has directly blamed the Kremlin.

Downing Street said the hoax video calls were an attempt by Vladimir Putin’s regime to distract from military problems in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister's spokesman added: “We are seeing a string of distraction stories and outright lies from the Kremlin, reflecting Putin’s desperation as he seeks to hide the scale of the conflict and Russia’s failings on the battlefield."