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MOSCOW — Russia on Thursday offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang’s anger was “quite understandable.”

Washington failed to offer any proof to back its claims of Pyongyang’s involvement in the hacking, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a briefing, adding that the U.S. threats of retaliation were “counterproductive.”

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The U.S. has blamed Pyongyang for the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which produced The Interview, a comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang has denied a role in the hacking, but also praised it as a “righteous deed.”

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Sony initially decided not to release the film because of threats against U.S. cinemas, but released the movie online Wednesday.

Russia’s ties with the communist North soured after the 1991 Soviet collapse, but have improved under President Vladimir Putin’s watch. Moscow has taken part in international efforts to help mediate the standoff over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, although its diplomatic efforts have had little visible effect.