The senior official explained to representatives of cultural associations of Russia that Ukraine, through its ambassadors, asked several countries not to send observers to the elections, the TASS news agency reported.

‘According to my information, this attempt has already taken place In Belarus. It is ridiculous, you know: how are the Russian elections and Ukraine related?’ Lavrov commented.

In this regard, he also referred to the ineffectiveness of the claims of the Government of Vladimir Zelensky with respect to the electoral process in the Russian Republic of Crimea and in the Ukrainian region of Donbass.

‘Crimea is a settled matter, we have explained everything to everyone a long time ago, and everyone understood everything, including, I am convinced, the Ukrainian leaders themselves,’ the Foreign Minister said.

Lavrov clarified that in the case of Donbass, residents with Russian passports, as citizens of Russia, they have the right to vote ‘wherever they live.’

Moscow’s head of diplomacy warned that Kiev is taking advantage of the fact that many in the West are seeking reasons to increase pressure on Russia and will continue with new attempts to irritate and unbalance the country.

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