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Russia, US have channels for discussion of IT companies’ operation — diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, the US side was presented with materials that contain "data, facts and figures" that prove the foreign intervention in the Russian elections with the mediation of US internet platforms

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington have all necessary channels for discussion of the operation of US IT giants in Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

"We have all necessary channels so that the US could interact with us on these issues," she noted.

Zakharova recalled that US Ambassador John Sullivan was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on September 10. According to the diplomat, the US side was presented with materials that contain "data, facts and figures" that prove the foreign intervention in the Russian elections with the mediation of US internet platforms.

"The materials were presented to the US side not as declarations, not as statements but as concrete materials," she underscored.

On September 16, a meeting took place in the Federation Council Commission on protection of sovereignty and prevention of foreign meddling in Russia’s internal affairs, attended by representatives of Google and Apple, as well as representatives of Russian Foreign Ministry, Central Electoral Commission, Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Service for Supervision in IT and mass communications (Roskomnadzor). The meeting focused on evidence of US IT companies’ interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Russia. In the statement, published after the meeting, the Commission noted that it expects both US companies to remove the existing problems before September 17. Otherwise, Russia may take reciprocal action, bringing the perpetrators to personal responsibility, including the criminal one.