Media reports alleging links between Russian President Vladimir Putin and offshore transactions worth billions of dollars aim to discredit the Kremlin leader ahead of Russia’s upcoming elections, his spokesman said on Monday.

“The main target of this disinformation is our president, especially in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections and in the context of a longer-term perspective – I mean presidential elections in two years,” Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists.

“This Putinophobia abroad has reached such a point that it is in fact taboo to say something good about Russia, or about any actions by Russia or any Russian achievements. But it’s a must to say bad things, a lot of bad things, and when there’s nothing to say, it must be concocted. This is evident to us.”

Peskov said the publications contained “nothing concrete and nothing new” about Putin.