Attempts to interfere in Russia’s internal affairs continue, and this process is not going to fade in light of the upcoming presidential election in Russia in March of 2018.

Officials with the Federation Council Commission for the Protection of State Sovereignty concluded during a meeting on Monday that attempts to interfere in Russia’s internal affairs were noticeable during the regional elections in September of this year, even though they did not show much influence on the outcome of the elections.

It is worthy of note that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe came to conclusion that Russia improperly executes the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights on the case of embezzlement at Kirovles Company. The committee left the case under control, and Russian senators found the decision of European officials “an attempt on the Russian electoral sovereignty.” According to the Council of the Federation, departments of the Council of Europe may make biased political decisions. Thus, the ECHR and other structures of the Council of Europe are dominated by representatives of the countries that imposed sanctions against Russia.

During the above-mentioned meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry did not exclude attempts to finance protest actions in Russia from the structures connected with the authorities of the United States.

“In general, one may assume that as the presidential election in Russia approaches, attempts to show influence on our internal affairs and undermine stability from the inside will intensify. We need to be fully prepared for this,” Ryabkov said. “The Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs together with other federal executive bodies will closely and carefully monitor the situation and make proposals on effective counteraction to such attempts, to stop the destructive line of interference in Russian internal affairs that will remain one of the main links of the US-led policy towards Russia,” he added.

Political scientist Leonid Polyakov said in an interview with Pravda.Ru that the Russian authorities do have a reason to be concerned about such a possibility.

“Judging by statements from US President Donald Trump, he is ready to abandon the traditional policy of interference in affairs of other states under the pretext of promoting democracy. It is obvious that Donald Trump says one thing, but the team that works with him and sometimes independent of him often takes steps that come contrary to what the president says,” the expert said. “Judging from the experience of the past elections, we shall assume that such actions can be possible indeed. We could hear Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton calling to support the political opposition in Russia. Therefore, I think, a timely warning will cool a few hotheads in Washington,” Leonid Polyakov said. “In fact, the Americans always decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. They do not take anyone else’s opinion into account. Ryabkov has made a timely statement, especially against the background of the scandal connected with Russia’s alleged interference in the US elections. In Russia, no political party is entitled to receive foreign funds from abroad,” he added.

This article was originally published in Russian on Pravda.Ru.