Russian President Vladimir Putin said Democrats must learn to 'lose with dignity' after their electoral defeat, and said it was 'not important' who hacked Democratic groups during the U.S. elections.

Putin spoke at length about the U.S. elections during his annual news conference in Moscow, where he also addressed nuclear proliferation and other issues.

Once again, he dismissed charges of interference in the elections – even echoing President-elect Donald Trump's various claims that perhaps the hacking had been done a '400-pound guy' lying on his bed, 'some guy in his home in New Jersey.'

'Maybe it was someone lying on the couch who did it,' Putin said.

The U.S. government has concluded that Russia was behind the hacks of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, and The Washington Post has reported that the CIA believes the hacks were intended to boost Trump.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday it doesn't matter who hacked Democratic groups in the elections and said of Democrats: 'They need to learn to lose with dignity'

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Putin cast Democrats as sore losers.

'Democrats are losing on every front and looking for people to blame everywhere,' he said in response to a question by a Russian TV host, the Washington Post reported.

'They need to learn to lose with dignity,' he said. He added: 'In my opinion it is humiliating.'

Putin pointed to congressional races that Democrats also lost as a way of denying U.S. responsibility for the election results.

'Did we do that, too?' Putin asked sarcastically.

'They are losing on all fronts, but looking for the guilty ones outside,' he said.

He also credited Trump for tapping into the national mood and defying critics.

'Trump understood the mood of the people and kept going until the end, when nobody believed in him – except for you and me,' according to the Post's translation.

He said it was 'not important' who did the hacking.

He referenced 'manipulation' contained in the emails, and even brought up Hillary Clinton's rival, 'Senator Sanders,' by name in his remarks.

He said instead of apologizing for the information contained in the hacked emails, Democrats have 'started screaming about who is behind the hacking. Is this important?'

Putin fielded questions from reporters during his annual December news conference in Moscow

Putin dismissed U.S. government charges that Russia was behind the hacking, and pointed to GOP victories in congressional races. ''Did we do that, too?' he asked

President-elect Donald Trump has said perhaps the hack was done by 'some guy' in New Jersey or a '400-pound guy' on his bed. Putin said perhaps the hacking was done by someone 'lying on the couch'

Putin's news conference dragged on for four hours

HACKS: Journalists at an annual news conference by Russia's President Vladimir Putin

'It's important that the information that was revealed was true – that is important,' he said.

Putin also referenced how the hack resulted in former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz stepping down from her post.

'What is the best evidence that the hackers unveiled true information?' he said, AFP reported. 'That after the hackers showed how public opinion is manipulated inside the Democratic Party ... the chief of the Democratic National Committee quit.'

Emails posted on WikiLeaks after the hack on the eve of the Democratic National Convention showed various internal efforts to boost Clinton, angering some supporters of rival Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Instead of apologizing for what was contained in the emails, Democrats 'started to shout about who initiated the hack attacks.'

'Does that really matter?' he asked.