President Vladimir Putin has rejected his links to offshore accounts uncovered in the Panama Papers and called the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia.

Speaking in St Petersburg, the President said even though his name did not figure in any of the documents leaked, Western media published the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses.

He went on to describe the allegations as part of a US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia to weaken its government.

World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Show all 15 1 /15 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Petro Poroshenko President of Ukraine World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Ayad Allawi Allawi Iraq’s Vice-President between 2014 and 2015, and the country’s interim prime minister from 2004 to 2005 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Abu Dhabi World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Prime Minister of Iceland World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sergey Roldugin Close friend of Vladimir Putin World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995-2013 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Li Xiaolin Daughter of Li Peng, the former Premier of China (The current vice-president of state-owned power company China Datang Gorporation and former CEO of China Power International Development, she has been nicknamed China’s “Power Queen” World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Rami Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hafez Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Clive Khulubuse Zuma Nephew of Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Maryam Nawaz Sharif Safdar Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hasan Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hussain Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Alaa Mubarak The eldest son of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Read more here

Mr Putin was not named in the Panama Papers, but the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said some of the Russian President's closest allies are involved in offshore financial schemes.

Earlier this week, the Kremlin blamed "Putinophobia" for claims some of Mr Putin's associates moved millions of dollars through offshore companies in a series of covert deals.

In his first statement on the Panama Papers, Mr Putin said one of his closest friends, cellist Sergei Roldugin, had done nothing wrong. Mr Roldugin was revealed as the owner £1.42 billion in offshore assets.

What are The Panama Papers?

Over 11.5 million files were leaked from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The documents contain information on 215,000 offshore entities, connected to individuals in more than 200 countries and territories.

The leaks caused the Prime Minister of Iceland to step aside for "an unspecified amount of time" after it was revealed he and his wife had bought an offshore firm in the British Virgin Islands.