MOSCOW, September 16. / TASS /. The statement on the inadmissibility of US interference into Russia’s upcoming parliamentary elections has been sent to the Department of State and the National Security Council through the embassy in Washington, Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Oleg Gavrilov said on Thursday at a meeting of the Interim Commission on Protecting State Sovereignty and Preventing Interference in the Russian Domestic Affairs.
Gavrilov noted that on September 10, US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan was summoned to Russia’s foreign ministry, where he was told that interference in the country’s internal affairs was inadmissible. "The demarche was sent to the US Department of State and the National Security Council through the Russian Embassy in Washington. It refers to specific evidence, provided to the American side for further study and response, <…> compared with the ongoing stream of allegations against Russia, accusing it of mythical interference in American democracy," the diplomat stated.
"The recent developments have justified our long-standing fears of some Western IT monopolists’ direct involvement in attempts to meddle into Russia’s internal affairs and discredit the upcoming parliamentary elections. We warn in advance that any forms of such activities are unacceptable," Gavrilov mentioned.
As the diplomat stated, the current data has enhanced confidence that US companies such as Google and Apple disregarded the legitimate demands of Russia’s authorities to remove content recognized as extremist, especially on the eve of the voting campaign. "This not only manifests their irresponsible behavior but also indicates their direct efforts to undermine democratic processes in Russia," Gavrilov believes.
US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan was summoned to Russia’s Foreign Ministry on September 10, where he met with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. The senior Russian diplomat presented evidence that the US tech giants violated the country’s legislation on the eve of the parliamentary elections. Ryabkov also pointed out that interference in the country’s internal affairs was inadmissible. Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) are scheduled for September 19, 2021, known as the Single Voting Day. The balloting process will span three days - September 17, 18, and 19.