Moscow: The Kremlin has called the Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman "emotional and self-exalted" after he appeared in a high profile video accusing Vladimir Putin of declaring "war" on America during last year's US presidential election.

Senior Russian figures said they "could not take seriously" Freeman's statement that Mr Putin had attacked the US out of revenge for the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Footage of Mr Freeman's monologue sparked a media storm in Russia on Wednesday, and went viral on social media after it was published on the website of a new US group called The Committee to Investigate Russia.

Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin's spokesman, said: "Many performing artists easily succumb to becoming victims of emotional strain with no real information about the real state of things.