WASHINGTON, May 2. /TASS/. US allegations that Russia violates religious rights represent attempts to interfere in the country’s internal affairs, the Russian Embassy in Washington said in a statement.
"We categorically reject unsubstantiated accusations of Russia's alleged failure to respect the rights of believers," the embassy said on Telegram. "By pushing this false narrative, Washington is vainly trying to find an excuse to interfere in our internal affairs and undermine inter-confessional harmony."
The statement was issued in response to a recent report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The embassy said that in Russia "mutually respectful relations between representatives of different ethnicities and religions" had evolved over centuries.
"This is one of the mainstays of Russian statehood," the diplomatic mission said.
According to the embassy, the US should address human rights issues in the country instead of lecturing Russia.
"Local television channels every day carry reports testifying to surging anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, as well as a frenzied campaign to impose non-traditional family and religious values," the statement said.