Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of inciting unrest inside Russia as he grapples with massive protests. On Thursday, Putin said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had encouraged protests by joining in international criticism of controversial parliamentary elections. Thousands of people have demonstrated this week in a rare show of protest against Putin’s rule. Speaking in Belgium, Clinton said U.S. criticism of the elections was well-founded.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We expressed concerns that we thought were well-founded about the conduct of the elections, and we are supportive of the rights and aspirations of the Russian people to be able to make progress and to realize a better future for themselves, and we hope to see that unfold in the years ahead.”