Russia’s Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of election meddling after criticism of Russia's decision to bar opposition leader Alexei Navalny from taking part in the 2018 presidential elections.
A U.S. State Department spokesman expressed concern over "restrictions on independent voices" after Navalny was barred from running by Russia's Central Election Commission on Tuesday , the state-run TASS news agency reported.
“This State Department statement, which I’m sure will be repeated, is a direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook.
Zakharova called out the U.S. for perceived hypocrisy, citing the required registration of the Kremlin-run RT news network as a foreign agent last month.
“The funniest thing is that these are the same people who just tagged RT and Sputnik as foreign agents, who are harassing Russian media around the world and who are investing huge amounts of money into ‘countering Russian propaganda,’ which is how they label anyone who they disagree with," she wrote.
“And these people expressed outrage over alleged Russian ‘interference’ in their electoral process for an entire year?!"
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
