Russian intelligence services attempted to use Donald Trump’s advisers to influence his election campaign, a report has claimed amid investigations into links with Moscow.

Carter Page is among those targeted according to information gathered by the FBI, CNN reported.

Mr Page, an American oil industry consultant who acted as a foreign policy adviser from the Trump campaign, denied the claim and said he helped US services.

“My assumption throughout the last 26 years I’ve been going there has always been that any Russian person might share information with the Russian government... as I have similarly done with the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies in the past,” he added.

Intelligence officials told CNN Mr Page may have been unaware of the alleged scheme and talked with Russian agents unknowingly.

Court documents said he previously met with a spy called Victor Podobnyy in 2013, who attempted to recruit Mr Page and was later charged as part of ta Russian spy ring.

Rex Tillerson: US have "low level of trust" with Russia

Documents on the energy industry were handed over but Mr Page said he shared only “basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents”.

He has also visited Russia several times, interacting with officials the FBI believe act on behalf of the Kremlin and delivering a university lecture in 2016 where he accused US of “condescending” and “hostile” policies towards Russia.

On returning to the US, Mr Page was among the Trump campaign advisers meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

The FBI later got a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) to monitor Mr Page’s communications.

Officials from Mr Trump’s campaign said there was no indication Mr Page attended national security meetings at Trump Tower and played only a junior role.

CNN’s report claimed Russia attempted to infiltrate Mr Trump’s campaign by using “backdoor channels” to his inner circle, with US and European intelligence finding several advisers had been in contact with known Russian agents.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. 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It came after the Kremlin rejected a Reuters investigation alleging that a think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin drew up a plan to swing the presidential election in Mr Trump’s favour.

The Moscow-based Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS) dismissed claims it was part of a Russian influence campaign as “fantasies”.

Mr Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, attacked the use of anonymous sources while dismissing the allegations, originating from current and former American officials citing RISS documents.

Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the US election, while Mr Trump has also rejected a report by his own intelligence agencies on the campaign.

Barack Obama’s administration concluded that Russia mounted a “fake news” drive and launched cyber attacks against Democratic Party groups and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.