Special Prosecutor Mueller raises new charges

The special prosecutor, who is investigating Russia's interventions in the 2016 presidential elections, is increasing the pressure on Donald Trump's former presidential campaign chief, Paul Manafort, by pressing new charges against him and his assistant to try to manipulate witnesses.

On the basis of the new charges, 69-year-old Manafort and his deputy, 48-year-old Konstantin Kilimnik, have deliberately tried to convince “, corruptly” two people, with the aim of “running, delaying and obstructing their testimony”. According to the charges, they have contacted witnesses in February and April of this year.

Both were accused of plotting to prevent justice and obstruction of justice. Manafort currently faces five counts of criminal acts in connection with work as lobbyist for the previous Ukrainian government.

Kilimnik, who operated the office of the Manafort consulting firm in Kiev, is the 20th person to whom charges are brought by special prosecutor Robert Mueller.

According to prosecutors, two people who were not publicly identified had worked with the Manafort to organise the so-called Hapsburg Group, an organisation with former European officials to lobby European Union officials and members of the US Congress in the interest of Ukraine.

The two people told prosecutors that Manafort and Kilimnik had tried to convince them to prove that the Hapsburg Group lobbied only in Europe and not in the United States.