Russia accuses US and Germany of organizing protests in Moscow
The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the US and Germany of interfering in the country’s internal affairs, the department’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a broadcast of the TV channel Russia 1.
According to Zakharova, the US’s diplomatic staff and government media have “broken the rules” by providing coverage of unsanctioned protests in Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry intends to send official complaints to the US and to Germany.
The spokesperson remarked that the US embassy in Russia was “actively” involved in the unsanctioned protests that were held in Moscow on August 3.
“I think that the US leaders will be extremely surprised by how their diplomats are interfering in Russian internal affairs,” Zakharova emphasized.
Russia’s complaint to Berlin is due to Deutsche Welle’s publication of a call to the people of Moscow to take to the streets in protest.
For more than two weeks protesters have been demonstrating in Moscow, demanding the registration of independent candidates in the Moscow City Duma’s elections. On August 3, protesters marched down Boulevard Ring. Berkut commander Sergey Busiuk was reportedly seen dispersing protesters in the center of Moscow.
According to the Russian website OVD-info, more than a thousand protesters were arrested at the demonstration in the center of Moscow, which was titled “Let us restore our right to elections”.
Interfax reported that on Saturday August 3, more than 50 minors were detained. Five people had to be hospitalized