The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Moscow, Lynn Tracy, to warn Washington to stay out of Russia's internal affairs ahead of the March 17 presidential election.
The Russian elections are expected to give the current president, Vladimir Putin, another mandate, given the lack of opposition candidates on the ballot, writes the editorial staff of Radio Free Europe in English.
On March 7, the ministry informed the ambassador that three American non-governmental organizations had been designated as "undesirable organizations", requesting the American embassy to "stop all cooperation" with them.
These are the organizations "American Councils for International Education", "Cultural Perspectives" and "Institute of International Education".
According to the Law, the activities of these organizations will be banned in Russia, and anyone who cooperates with them may face up to six years in prison.
The Russian ministry accused those organizations of running "anti-Russian programs and projects aimed at recruiting 'agents' under the guise of educational and cultural exchange."
The ministry also warned that attempts to interfere in Russia's internal affairs, including "subversive actions and the spread of disinformation in the context of the election", will be strictly and decisively suppressed until the expulsion, as undesirable, of the employees of the American embassy.
So far, there has been no reaction from the Embassy of the United States to this move by Moscow.
The law on "undesirable organizations" was adopted in 2015, and it refers to non-governmental organizations and others that receive funds from foreign sources.
Radio Free Europe was declared an undesirable organization in Russia last month.
Bonus video:
