Putin accuses US over poll unrest
Russia PM Vladimir Putin accuses US over poll protests
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of being behind protests over the results of Russia's parliamentary elections.
Mr Putin said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "set the tone for some opposition activists".
She "gave them a signal, they heard this signal and started active work", he said.
Mrs Clinton maintained that her concerns were "well-founded". OSCE monitors have also been critical.
Mr Putin accused the protesters of acting "in accordance with a well-known scenario and in their own mercenary political interests".
He warned that those working for foreign governments to influence Russian politics would be held to account, according to the Associated Press.
"It is unacceptable when foreign money is pumped into election processes", Mr Putin said in comments shown on state-run TV.
"We should think of forms of defence of our sovereignty, defence from interference from abroad," he added.
Most Russians did not want the kind of political upheavals that had been seen in recent years in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, he said.
Mr Putin's remarks came a day after he officially registered his candidacy for the presidential elections next March.
He stood down from the office in 2008 and has since held the post of prime minister.
Putin accuses US over poll unrest
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