Russia feels Montenegro coup allegations may damage bilateral relationship

Russia hits back over allegations that Moscow was involved in a failed coup in Montenegro and an attempt to assassinate the country's former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, stating the claims may damage relation between the two nations.

According to CNN, Montenegro's chief special prosecutor has said that authorities believe Russian security services were involved in a plot to kill then-Prime Minister Djukanovic and overthrow the government in October.

Chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic told a local TV station that Montenegro officials have evidence that Russia's Federal Security Service was involved in the failed coup.

The allegations drew immediate denials from Moscow and further calls Wednesday for Montenegro to provide evidence to back up the allegations.

"Naturally, neither Montenegrin officials nor Western media are providing any evidences that could confirm these allegations," CNN quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

"We are stating that this misinformation is aggravated by the ever-increasing number of publications while facts are absent. Meanwhile, the position of Russian officials is actually ignored. All this, of course, is inflicting serious damage on the Russian-Montenegrin relations," she said.

The allegation came as Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, criticised NATO as a "Cold War institution" whose expansion had led to unprecedented tensions in Europe over the past 30 years.