MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/. The United States continues attempts to interfere in Russia’s domestic affairs, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s (the upper house of parliament) Temporary Commission for the Protection of State Sovereignty and Prevention of Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs Andrei Klimov told reporters on Thursday.
"Though constitutional amendments have been adopted that legally strengthened Russia’s sovereignty, Washington and its foreign partners did not abandon attempts to interfere in our domestic affairs," he pointed out.
According to him, a plan was drawn up for the Belarusian presidential election that was "implemented by the intelligence agencies and politicians of Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states." "As for Russia, the goal was to create political tensions in the country’s regions ahead of the September 13 regionals elections," the senator noted.
Klimov went on to say that blogger Alexei Navalny was meant to play an active role in organizing protest activities. The plan was that he and his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), officially designated as a foreign agent, would spread protest sentiment in the Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions where regional parliamentary elections will take place, the senator specified. He added that neither the developments in Belarus nor attempts to create tensions in Russian regions led to the desired results.
Belarus held its presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission’s data, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80.1% of the vote, while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who garnered 10.12%, is currently in Lithuania. Protests erupted in the country's capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers. The opposition’s Coordination Council keeps calling on the country’s people to carry on with protests, while the authorities are emphasizing the need to put an end to unauthorized activities.