Russia accused the United States of interfering in the elections process by funding opposition groups in advance of Vladimir Putin’s expected return to the Kremlin in weekend polls.

Russia accused the United States of interfering in the elections process by funding opposition groups in advance of Vladimir Putin's expected return to the Kremlin in weekend polls.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States of following Cold War-era stereotypes and trying to talk down to Russia.

"The days when Russia could be lectured or preached to are over," Lavrov said in an interview published in the online edition of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta government daily.

"Our American partners understand this perfectly well, but the inertia of past approaches and stereotypes in Washington is still evident," Lavrov said.
"We respond firmly... to attempts to affect the political and electoral processes in Russia, including by way of funding civil society groups."

Lavrov said the United States had strict laws barring foreigners from funding election campaigns and that Russia could alter its laws to make sure the same applied to organizations such as Golos.

"We have to have our legislation catch up with these democratic standards," Lavrov said in reference to the US law.

Earlier, Putin accused the US of inciting the street protests that erupted in Moscow following December parliamentary elections and have continued in the run-up to Sunday's presidential vote.