Russia accuses US of trying to interfere in presidential election

MOSCOW - The Russian Foreign Ministry is monitoring Washington's attempts to meddle in the upcoming presidential election, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday.

"The US attempts to interfere in our internal affairs have been particularly active over the recent years during campaign and elections for the president and the State Duma (lower house of parliament)," Ryabkov said at a parliamentary meeting.

The other competent departments are dealing with the issue together with the foreign ministry, he told the lawmakers.

He added that the United States interfered in other countries' internal affairs over the past two decades which has caused chaos, wars and collapse of countries.

On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the United States has a "rich tradition" of meddling in other countries' internal affairs, including in Russia.

Russia will hold its once-in-six-years presidential election on March 18. President Vladimir Putin seeks a second consecutive term and fourth term overall.

In the past year, Washington repeatedly accused Moscow of interfering in the 2016 US presidential election, which helped then-candidate Donald Trump defeat his rival Hilary Clinton. The Kremlin has denied the accusation.