WASHINGTON, March 20. /TASS/. The US administration is frustrated that their bid to sway public opinion in Russia via traitors and defectors has fizzled, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said, commenting on the latest round of US sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.
"The Administration's ridiculous step is a kind of demonstration of the feeble anger and disappointment of local authorities and political strategists that their bet to move Russian public opinion through relocants and traitors has failed," the Russian ambassador to the US said, as quoted on the embassy’s Telegram channel.
The diplomat pointed out that the presidential election had showcased the unity of the Russian people.
"The people of Russia in the course of the recent presidential elections have clearly shown their unity and understanding of real sources of destabilization in the world," Antonov said.
Russia held its first-ever three-day presidential election on March 15-17, in which around one-third of the country’s regions offered voters the option of voting online. According to data from the Central Election Commission (CEC), incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ran as an independent, self-nominated candidate, garnered 87.28% of the vote, with 100% of the ballots counted. The voter turnout was the highest in Russia’s modern history, with 77.44% of eligible voters going to the polls.