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A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Tuesday said the US was meddling in Russia ' s coming presidential election by condemning the decision to bar  the opposition candidate Alexei Navalny  from running . " This State Department statement   which I ' m sure will be repeated   is a direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs  " the spokeswoman wrote . Russia ' s Election Commission barred  Navalny  from running last week   citing a previous embezzlement conviction . The European Court of Human Rights has called that conviction " arbitrary " and " unreasonable ." The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Tuesday accused the US of " direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs " following the State Department ' s criticism of Russia ' s decision to bar the opposition leader Alexey Navalny from running in the coming presidential election against Vladimir Putin . " This State Department statement   which I ' m sure will be repeated   is a direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs  " Zakharova wrote Tuesday on Facebook . In a statement shared with Business Insider on Tuesday night   a State Department representative expressed concern over the Russian government ' s " ongoing crackdown against independent voices   from journalists to civil society activists and opposition politicians ." " These actions indicate the Russian government has failed to protect space in Russia for the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms  " the statement said . " More broadly   we urge the government of Russia to hold genuine elections that are transparent   fair   and free and that guarantee the free expression of the will of the people   consistent with its international human rights obligations ." " And these people expressed outrage over alleged Russian ' interference ' in their electoral process for an entire year ?!" " The funniest thing is that these are the same people who just tagged RT and Sputnik as foreign agents   who are harassing Russian media around the world and who are investing huge amounts of money into ' countering Russian propaganda  ' which is how they label anyone who they disagree with  " she wrote . A declassified US intelligence assessment of the 2016 election determined that Russian government actors   ordered by Putin   used " cyber tools and media campaigns to influence US public opinion " and " undermine public faith in the US democratic process ." Russian government - linked actors   it said   " began openly supporting President - elect Trump ' s candidacy in media aimed at English - speaking audiences " in March 2016 . Those media outlets included Sputnik and RT   which the report characterized as " the Kremlin ’ s principal international propaganda outlet ." Sputnik and RT ' s US affiliate registered as foreign agents with the Justice Department in November . Navalny to announce ' a voters ' strike ' Navalny   a lawyer and activist   replaced Boris Nemtsov as leader of Russia ' s democratic opposition following Nemtsov ' s 2015 assassination in the shadow of the Kremlin . One day after  Navalny  registered as a candidate for Russia ' s next presidential election   which will be held in March   Russia ' s Central Election Commission barred him from running   citing a previous embezzlement conviction   according to the state - run media outlet RIA - Novosti .  Navalny  has known since February — when  he  was handed a suspended five - year jail term for embezzlement in a case that  his  supporters have characterized as politically motivated — that  he  would not be allowed on the ballot . The European Court of Human Rights determined in October that the conviction was " arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable ." Ella Pamfilova   the head of the CEC   told Russia ' s TV Rain in June that Navalny " understands himself that he has no chance of being registered for the election due to his previous conviction ." She accused him later of " fundraising illegally and brainwashing young people ." Putin   who has refused to utter Navalny ' s name   said during his marathon end - of - year press conference earlier this month that the opposition was hoping for a " coup " but would not succeed . " Do you want us to have coup attempts here ?" " We ' ve already been through all that . You want to go back to that ? I am sure that the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens do not want this and will not stand for it ." Navalny ' s lawyer told CNN on Monday that he would appeal the decision . But  Navalny  has said he and his movement will organize a boycott of the vote if he is not allowed to run . " We are announcing a voters ' strike  "  Navalny  said in a video posted to his blog this week . " The procedure in which we are invited to participate is not an election . It involves only Putin and those candidates whom he personally chose   who do not pose a slightest threat to him ."
Russia accuses US of election interference

Premier Silvio Berlusconi skipped a hearing Friday in a trial accusing him of bribing a British lawyer to lie on the stand.
 Berlusconi had not been expected at the technical hearing  his lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said  adding that the premier would attend when there were issues of substance at hand  beginning next month.
 Prosecutors accuse Berlusconi of ordering the 1997 payment of $600 000 to lawyer David Mills in exchange for his false testimony in two trials. Both Berlusconi and Mills have denied wrongdoing. Mills is in the second and final round of appeals against his conviction in the case.
 of ordering the 1997 payment of $600 000 to lawyer David Mills in exchange for his false testimony in two trials. Both Berlusconi and MillsBerlusconi and Mills have denied wrongdoing. Mills is in the second and final round of appeals against his conviction in the case.
 On Friday  the three-judge panel rejected a defense motion arguing that Berlusconi's portion of the trial should restart from scratch  without allowing any evidence heard by the previous court to carry over on the grounds it would be prejudicial.
 The case is one of two in Milan courts restarted against the premier after Italy's Constitutional Court overturned a law sparing Berlusconi from prosecution while in office.
 In the other case  Berlusconi and others are accused of overpaying for rights to show U.S. movies on Berlusconi's Mediaset television empire and pocketing the difference.
 Although defendants in Italian trials are not required to be present  Berlusconi has said he wants to defend himself in person against the charges.
Berlusconi skips hearing in Milan corruption case

on - Don on Feb . 1 . ( Alexei Druzhinin / Pool / Sputnik / Kremlin / AP )  Vladimir Putin  visited an agricultural equipment factory Thursday — and quipped that if  he  were to lose upcoming elections    he  might choose a new career in farming .  The Russian president  made the comments while sitting in a combine harvester simulator at a Rostselmash factory in Rostov - on - Don . If things didn ' t go well in the upcoming election   “ I ' ll start work as a combine driver after March 18  ”  Putin  said   according to footage published by state - funded news network RT . “ No problem   no problem at all  ” Konstantin Babkin   chief executive of Rostselmash   responded .  Putin  may not have reason to worry . Last year    he  became the longest - serving Kremlin leader since Joseph Stalin   and though  he  delayed  his  announcement about whether  he  would run in the upcoming elections until December   polls suggest  he  has little real opposition . The most recent data from VTsIOM   for example   shows that 69 . 9 percent of Russians say they will vote for the incumbent president in March ' s election . According to VTsIOM ' s polling    Putin  ' s closest competitor is Pavel Grudinin   a candidate for Russia ' s Communist Party   who has about 6 percent of the vote . Meet one of the presidential candidates running against  Vladimir Putin  in Russia . ( David Filipov   Sarah Parnass / The Washington Post ) Russia ’ s most prominent  Putin  critic   Alexei Navalny   is barred from the ballot   and there is a split among opposition voters about tactics . While some want to boycott the ballot to undermine its legitimacy   other liberals plan to vote for government critics like Grudinin or journalist Ksenia Sobchak . In a rare instance Friday   Russia ' s Central Election Commission criticized Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov for speaking in Putin ' s favor ahead of the election . “ The level of Putin ’ s popularity goes far beyond the borders of Russia . Hardly anyone can question Putin ’ s being the absolute leader of the public opinion   the absolute leader of the political pinnacle that hardly anyone can compete with seriously at the present stage  ” Peskov said of  Putin  on Monday   according to state news agency Tass . Peskov subsequently apologized for his statement and said he would be more cautious in the future . More on  WorldViews Russian President Vladimir Putin  struck a familiar chord at  his  year - end news conference on Dec . 14   praising President Trump ' s economic record and calling for improved U . S .- Russia relations . ( Joyce Lee   Jenny Starrs / The Washington Post )  Putin  saw the Panama Papers as a personal attack and may have wanted revenge   Russian authors say

Putin suggests he will work on a farm if he loses election