Russia: U.S. Seeks ‘Revolution’ in Moldova, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan

Date: 20 October 2020 - 21:27

News ID: ۸۴۰۴۹

MOSCOW (Dispatches) -- Russia on Tuesday accused the United States of preparing a "revolution” in the ex-Soviet state of Moldova ahead of a November election, accusing Washington of similar interference in Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
"Now we are seeing clearly that the Americans are preparing a ‘revolution’ scenario in Moldova”, where pro-Moscow President Igor Dodon is seeking re-election in the November ballot, the head of Russian’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin said in a statement.
The U.S. claimed Monday six members of Russian military intelligence agency have been charged over global cyberattacks, including an attempt to disrupt the 2017 French elections.
The Kremlin on Tuesday denied U.S. claims that Russian military intelligence was behind cyber attacks targeting Ukraine’s power grid, the 2017 French election and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov described U.S. charges against six Russian intelligence officers as "rampant Russophobia which, of course, have nothing to do with reality.”
"The Russian Federation, Russian security services have never undertaken any hacker attacks, especially in connection with the Olympics,” Peskov told reporters.
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday said it had rejected a string of "unacceptable” austerity measures proposed by the Finance Ministry that would cut some 100,000 troops.
In a proposal submitted to the country’s security council this month, the Finance Ministry suggested slashing Russia’s military personnel by 10%, a figure that would amount to some 100,000 troops, the Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Some of those military officers would be given civilian posts instead, according to the proposal.
Meanwhile, Russia has authorized its defense ministry to open an office in Serbia, a government document showed, as Moscow pushes to expand military ties with its traditional Balkans ally even as Belgrade seeks to join the European Union.
Serbia last month suspended military drills with foreign troops for six months, citing pressure from the EU to withdraw from joint exercises with Russia and Belarus.
The Russian government order, dated Oct. 15 and signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, said the head of the proposed office would assist in resolving military and technical questions over Russian-Serbian cooperation.
The agreement, once signed by both parties, would give the Russian official in Serbia the right to visit Serbian divisions that use Russian weapons and military equipment, provided prior notice and consent were given.