MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The Russian Federation Council’s (upper house) interim Commission on Protecting State Sovereignty and Preventing Interference in the Domestic Affairs established some attempts to exert pressure from abroad on the Russian law enforcement system and other forms of destabilization of the country’s socio-political situation, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov said on Thursday.

"Apart from attempts of foreign interference in electoral sovereignty, the commission registered some efforts made by Western officials to put pressure on the Russian judicial and law enforcement system, incite to illegal actions, instigate riots, justify extremist and terrorist activities as well as forms of destabilization of Russia’s socio-political situation," Dzhabarov, who also heads the Monitoring Group of the State Duma Commission on Foreign Interference, noted.

Provocations before the elections

Dzhabarov mentioned that the foreign opponents’ goals were confirmed by the statements made by official foreign agencies. "The plans of the West were directly announced in the European Parliament. The Foreign Affairs Committee presented a draft report on the strategy of relations with Russia, in which it urged the EU to prepare not to accept the results of the State Duma (lower house) elections. Another stream of disinformation and calls not to recognize our voting results is planned to be launched even before the start of the elections," the Russian senator said.

In particular, according to Dzhabarov, the European Parliament "deliberately plans the further discussion of relations with Russia for September 13-16 in order to arrange a provocation just before the very beginning of the voting days."

The senator also noted that since the beginning of the voting campaign, NATO countries and their allies had reinforced anti-Russian propaganda, spreading fake news about the State Duma elections and organizing information attacks on Russian legislation, the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the country’s overall electronic system. Dzhabarov also emphasized that foreign opponents, long before the elections, were developing plans to discredit the September voting "in order to then launch a wave of disinformation and indiscriminate accusations." "This kind of destructive activity is carried out not only from outside but also inside the country with the help of foreign proteges among the foreign-sponsored media, some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals," the senator stated.

In his annual report to the commission, Dzhabarov suggested drawing attention to cases of Russian citizens and NGOs involved in destructive activities. "The Golos movement, recognized as a foreign agent, is an indicative example. This organization, operating without registration under the guise of election monitoring, is preparing all sorts of ballot stuffing connected with the elections, which is then picked up and spread by the Western media. The monitoring group also offers to consider the possible including in the report a section or appendices on the established facts of participation of such persons and structures in anti-Russian campaigns. It refers to destructive activity during the election campaign as well as other cases," the parliamentarian said.

The elections to the 8th State Duma are scheduled for a single voting day on September 19, 2021. The voting will be held over three days: September 17, 18 and 19. At the same time, the direct elections of the heads of nine Russian regions (in three more regions, deputies of legislative assemblies will choose the top executives) as well as 39 regional parliaments will take place.