Moscow announced on Monday that it believes the US is plotting to interfere in the upcoming Russian presidential elections by aiming to decrease voter turnout.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reported by state media, the US administration, under President Joe Biden, is directing American non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to work towards lowering participation in Russia’s presidential election scheduled for March 15-17.
The SVR alleges that the US plans to involve top IT experts to launch cyberattacks on Russia’s electronic voting system, potentially disrupting the tallying of a substantial portion of votes.
The statement suggests that the US’s strategy is to use the anticipated lower turnout as a pretext for casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results. It warns that US political strategists might be underestimating the situation.
There has been no immediate comment from US officials regarding these allegations.
The election, which will be Russia’s first presidential vote to extend over three days, is set for March 15-17, with current President Vladimir Putin vying for a fifth term.–Web Desk