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MOSCOW, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry ismonitoring Washington's attempts to meddle in the upcomingpresidential election, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov saidMonday.

"The U.S. attempts to interfere in our internal affairs havebeen particularly active over the recent years during campaign andelections for the president and the State Duma (lower house ofparliament)," Ryabkov said at a parliamentary meeting.

The other competent departments are dealing with the issuetogether with the foreign ministry, he told the lawmakers.

He added that the United States interfered in other countries'internal affairs over the past two decades which has caused chaos,wars and collapse of countries.

On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the UnitedStates has a "rich tradition" of meddling in other countries'internal affairs, including in Russia.

Russia will hold its once-in-six-years presidential election onMarch 18. President Vladimir Putin seeks a second consecutive termand fourth term overall.

In the past year, Washington repeatedly accused Moscow ofinterfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which helpedthen-candidate Donald Trump defeat his rival Hilary Clinton. TheKremlin has denied the accusation. Enditem