Russia Accuses West of Orchestrating Serbian Protests

Claims of Western interference follow violent protests over alleged election rigging in Serbia.

Russia accuses the West of orchestrating anti-government street protests in Belgrade, Serbia, which turned violent on Sunday.
The Russian ambassador to Serbia claims there is 'irrefutable evidence' of a Western plot, echoing Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's claims of outside forces seeking a 'color revolution'.
Protests began over allegations of a rigged general election on Dec. 17, with the opposition staging daily street protests over the past week.
Western countries have been muted in their criticism of the election, with the U.S. ambassador to Serbia calling on the country to address 'deficiencies' in the electoral system.
Serbia applied to join the European Union in 2009, but its application has been stalled for years, with growing pressure from the West on Vucic to pick a side since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.