WASHINGTON, November 26. /TASS/. Moscow views US officials’ criticism of Russia’s bill banning LGBT propaganda as interference in the country’s domestic affairs, the Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement.
"We paid attention to the statements of numerous of US officials criticizing the bill adopted by the State Duma of the Russian Federation banning the dissemination of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, pedophilia or information that causes a desire to change gender," the statement reads.
"We consider such statements as gross interference in our internal affairs," the embassy said.
"Russia consistently stands for the protection of traditional family values. We openly speak about our rejection of attempts by Western states, led by the United States, to impose pseudo-liberal and perverted ideas about human rights on other countries. We demand that Washington respect the choice of our people to adhere to moral guidelines that are passed down from generation to generation and are the basis of Russian civic identity," the statement added.
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said during the hearing of the bill that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called on Russian lawmakers to withdraw the initiative. The speaker suggested that State Duma members respond "to Mr Blinken by voting on the issue." On Thursday, State Duma members unanimously voted to pass the third reading of a bill introducing substantial fines for propaganda promoting non-traditional sexual relations, pedophilia and information capable of inducing gender reassignment surgery.