Russia accuses EU of planning election interference

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused the European Union and various European intelligence services of coordinating with Ukraine to launch large-scale interference during Russia's upcoming legislative elections, scheduled for September 18–20.

According to the SVR, the alleged strategy involves cyberattacks against electoral infrastructure, acts of sabotage, and political offensives designed to discredit the election results. The Russian intelligence agency further claims that Brussels has tasked non-systemic Russian opposition groups with organizing provocations at polling stations both within Russia and abroad.

While the SVR asserts that Western powers are mobilizing an arsenal of anti-Russian aggression to destabilize the country, these accusations have been made solely by Russian authorities and have not been supported by independent public evidence. The specific European countries or agencies involved in the alleged coordination have not been identified.