WASHINGTON, March 20. /TASS/. Moscow is absolutely not interested in biased assessments of the Russian presidential election by unfriendly countries, Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said.
Commenting on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement on the Russian presidential elections, the diplomat said: "We are absolutely not concerned about biased assessments from unfriendly countries. Especially since the jabs are accompanied by a stream of deliberate lies and mentoring notations." "We are not teaching anyone how to organize the election process and strengthen democracy. We demand the same attitude for ourselves," the Russian embassy’s Telegram channel quoted the diplomat as saying.
"We do not accept moralizing and insulting outbursts. It is obvious that the [US] administration will continue to pursue the doomed anti-Russian project, try to create divisions in Russian society, undermine the legitimacy of the actions of the country's top leadership," Antonov pointed out. "I would like to emphasize that the Russian presidential election was held in strict accordance with our legislation. Observers and experts from 129 countries, including the United States, saw everything with their own eyes," the ambassador added. "No one forced us to vote for any particular candidate. Everything was transparent and as democratic as possible," he underscored.
"The result of the people's will is the full support of the voters for the policy of President Vladimir Putin both in the country and abroad. Citizens have consciously chosen their leader and entrusted him with the fate and future of the Motherland," Antonov added.
Blinken said on Tuesday that Russia's presidential election "can only be described as undemocratic." According to the US Secretary of State, no "credible international organizations" were present. Blinken also said that regardless of the outcome of the presidential election in Russia, Washington intends to support those forces that, according to the US side, seek a "brighter future" for Russia.
Russia held its first three-day presidential election over the period March 15-17. Remote electronic voting, also a first, was available to voters in 29, or about one-third, of the country’s regions. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), after 100% of vote tally reports by local election commissions had been processed, incumbent head of state Vladimir Putin held a resounding lead over his three rivals with 87.28% of the vote.