adminprotests that first rose against his 12-year domination of Russia three months ago — a charge that US officials firmly deny.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow continued to raise the issue “repeatedly” with US officials and had still not received a clear assurance about the funding’s ultimate aims.
“This activity is reaching a scale that is turning into a problem in our relations,” Ryabkov said in an interview with the Interfax news agency.
“We really are concerned that Washington is funding certain groups and movements in Russia” opposed to Putin’s rule.
Ryabkov said US President Barack Obama had recently earmarked US$50 million in new funding for Russian non-governmental organisations involved in various opposition work.
“The scale of this activity is fairly significant,” said Ryabkov.
Russian television has also focused on meetings US ambassador Michael McFaul has held with members of the anti-Putin movement since his arrival in Moscow two months ago. McFaul says the meetings are a part of Washington’s two-track approach to Russia that promotes both democracy issues and close relations with Moscow.
But he also accused a Kremlin-owned TV channel of illegally accessing his private schedule after it caught him entering the office of Russian opposition leader Lev Ponomaryov. — AFP.
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- July 31, 2026
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