MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. The United States may channel funds to finance protests in Russia ahead of the 2018 presidential election, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday.
"We do not rule out that Washington will try to channel part of the funds already allocated under the new law to support the protest activity in this country. The Foreign Ministry jointly with other branches of executive power is carefully watching the process," Ryabkov said.
"In general, we may forecast that as the Russian presidential election is approaching, the attempts to influence the situation in the country and undermine stability from inside won’t dwindle but will only intensify. We need to be armed to the teeth amid these processes," the diplomat said.
Ryabkov also said the Foreign Ministry will further thoroughly monitor the events and "suggest steps on neutralizing the destructive line towards meddling in domestic affairs that remains one of the key elements in the US policy on Russia and already under the current administration."