What's behind US push to meddle in Russia’s internal affairs?

The US’ ultimate goal is to “try to create a Russia that will be obedient to the United States, to make it submit to the will of the West,” Larry Johnson, a retired CIA intelligence officer and State Department official, tells Sputnik.

“The West sees itself as this leader of the world," in terms of moral, economic, and military clout, with Russia perceived as “a thorn in Western side, which must be compelled to submit,” Johnson says.

Touching upon information that Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Sergey Naryshkin claimed that the US wanted to create a "fifth column" in Russia to meddle in the 2024 Russian presidential elections and discredit the country's leadership on social media, Johnson made it clear that all this is only too evident, adding: “Naryshkin might as well have been saying dogs like to chase cars.”

“That's the best America can come up with, you know, trying to discredit [now re-elected Russian President] Vladimir Putin. No matter what Russia does, its election will not be accepted in the US or recognized as legitimate,” according to the retired CIA intelligence officer.

Johnson also said he sees “no willingness on the part of the US to deal with Russia in a rational, logical manner," adding that, “this notion of creating a fifth column in Russia has always been and will always be a pipe dream.”

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🇻🇪 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro congratulated Putin on his victory in the presidential elections, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said

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❗️ Vladimir Putin stopped in at his election campaign headquarters, and thanked the volunteers there for their work

❗️ WATCH LIVE: Putin Visits Campaign Headquarters in Moscow

👉 Follow the live here or on Sputnik's website

❗️ Elections are not a formal thing, the votes of Russian citizens make up the unified will of the people, Vladimir Putin said.

He also thanked the Russians who went to the polling stations and voted.

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❗️ Putin leads in Russian presidential election with 87.17% of votes, with more than 70% of the ballots processed

🗳🇷🇺 Latest results of vote counting

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🇷🇺 Vladimir Putin is talking to journalists

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🇷🇺 "I would like to thank citizens of Russia, all of them because we are one team," Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting in his campaign headquarters.

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🇷🇺 The source of power in Russia is the Russian people, Vladimir Putin said in his speech at his campaign headquarters

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❗️ Putin conveys special words of gratitude to Russia’s fighters who selflessly defend the country without hesitation

📹 The plans are ambitious and everything will be done to fulfill them, Putin said

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❗️ All law enforcement agencies will be given instructions to identify anyone taking part in armed combat against Russia, Putin vowed.

He mentioned the banned "Russian Volunteer Corps" (RVC)*, pointing out that there are only 2,500 members who are being thrown into the meat grinder as cannon fodder in attacks on the state border.

There is no death penalty in Russia, but “we will treat traitors as if they were in a war zone,” Putin asserted.

*Terrorist group banned in Russia

🇷🇺🇨🇳 The coincidence of interests between Russia and China is a stabilizing factor on the world stage, Putin said when asked about relations with China.

Moscow will only develop relations with Beijing in the coming years, he emphasized.

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🗣 "People came to create conditions for the development and strengthening of the Motherland"

Putin spoke about the reasons for the high turnout at the elections.

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❗️Vladimir Putin’s latest statements at his campaign headquarters:

Russians feel a great sense of responsibility, as evidenced by the high voter turnout. He stated that Russians and the nation as a whole are compelled to protect the interests of the nation’s citizenry, even resorting to using weapons if needed.

Looking ahead to his new term, Putin emphasized the need to address specific operational challenges, enhance the country's defense capabilities, and strengthen the armed forces.

Furthermore, Putin drew a parallel between the banned Russian Volunteer Corps* and the army of turncoat Soviet general Andrey Vlasov, who was executed a traitor at the end of WW2. He warned of the dire consequences that awaited those who followed a similar path.

*The Russian Volunteer Corps has been labeled a terrorist group and outlawed in the country.

🗣 Putin declared, “throughout history, no one, in no way, has been able to intimidate or suppress us, our will, or our consciousness. This remains true today and will continue to be true in the future”.

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