Don't interfere, warns Kremlin

Vladimir Putin

The Kremlin warned foreigners yesterday not to interfere in Russia's parliamentary elections after it cut sharply the number of Western observers permitted to view the polls.

"No country will accept any attempts from abroad to try to influence it," Kremlin deputy spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "It's a matter of sovereignty of the country."

Peskov was speaking after Europe's main democracy watchdog, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said Moscow had imposed "unprecedented" restrictions on its observation mission to the December 2 elections.

The vote is widely viewed as a referendum on President Vladimir Putin's almost eight years in power. Polls suggest his United Russia bloc will win an overwhelming majority of seats but the opposition has complained that Putin's backing gives the party an unfair advantage.

- Reuters