The Russian government has shot down reports suggesting it could try and interfere in next month’s local elections as “absurd”.
In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacted to reports that Malta had turned down a Russian request to use its airspace to fly military aircraft to Venezuela.
Malta’s decision comes shortly after the island had last month approved a similar request, with Russian military planes and personnel eventually spotted in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.
Read:Malta turns down Russian request to use airspace – sources
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Last month The New York Times reported how a visit to Venezuela by two Russian military planes had “set off alarms” that the pro-Venezuela Russian government was stepping up its support of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The international media reports have also quoted unnamed sources suggesting that the Russian embassy in Malta did not take kindly to the rejections, raising concerns of possible retaliation.
This, the reports said, could result in some for of interference, possibly in the form of a misinformation campaign, in the upcoming MEP and local councils election.
“These reports distort the…
