Former FBI director James Comey will testify in the Russia probe before the US Senate intelligence committee on June 8th.

The committee said on Thursday Mr Comey will testify in an open session, followed by a closed session.

He is expected to give evidence on conversations he had with President Donald Trump, in which the president reportedly asked him to drop an investigation into former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Mr Comey was fired as FBI chief by Mr Trump on May 9th.

The committee will also ask questions on Mr Comey's role in the development of the US intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia meddled in the US presidential election and any possible collusion with Mr Trump's campaign.

On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said the Russian state has never been involved in hacking, and claimed individual "patriotic" hackers may have carried out attacks during the US election last year.

He said that "no hackers can influence election campaigns in any country of Europe, Asia or America".

US intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking into and leaking Democratic Party emails, helping Mr Trump to victory in the election.

The Guardian reported on Thursday, citing unidentified sources, that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is a "person of interest" in the Russia probe.

Mr Farage has dismissed that report as "hysterical".