Accusations of Russian interference in recent elections in Macedonia are absurd, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing on Thursday.

It was hard not to notice a series of widely disseminated video messages containing high-ranking Western politicians, including heads of government and ministers, during the election campaign in Macedonia. They urged Macedonian voters to vote for one party or another openly and persistently. Against the background of this foreign interference in the affairs of a sovereign state, the absolutely groundless speculation about the presence of a certain Russian hand looks completely absurd, Zakharova said.

The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman added that the accusations Russia faces constitute a double standard given the efforts of Western leaders to influence the vote.

According to her, the suspicion and accusations levied at Russia are routinely justified by highly likely reasoning which is unclear and purposely vague, while direct Western pressure on the citizens of Macedonia is presented as something legitimate.