MOSCOW (Reuters) - The United States is fabricating a pretext to use sanctions against Russia once again, Russia's foreign ministry said on Saturday, responding to Washington's charges against a Russian accused of conspiring to interfere in U.S. elections.

The U.S. government on Friday charged Russian national Elena Khusyaynova with playing a key financial role in a Kremlin-backed plan to conduct "information warfare" against the United States, including ongoing attempts to influence next month's congressional elections.