In an interesting twist, Russia is accusing the United States of interfering in its upcoming election because the State Department spoke out against the Kremlin's decision to bar opposition leader Alexey Navalny from running for president against Vladimir Putin.
“This State Department statement, which I’m sure will be repeated, is a direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs,” [Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria] Zakharova wrote Tuesday on Facebook.
In a statement shared with Business Insider on Tuesday night, a State Department representative expressed concern over the Russian government’s “ongoing crackdown against independent voices, from journalists to civil society activists and opposition politicians.”
“These actions indicate the Russian government has failed to protect space in Russia for the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” the statement said. “More broadly, we urge the government of Russia to hold genuine elections that are transparent, fair, and free and that guarantee the free expression of the will of the people, consistent with its international human rights obligations.”
Read more: Russia is accusing the US of ‘direct interference’ in its elections (Business Insider)