Russia accused the United States on Wednesday of using its aid mission in Moscow to influence Russian elections, a charge likely to push relations between the former Cold War foes to a new low after Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a tough statement explaining Moscow's decision, announced by Washington on Tuesday, to give the US Agency for International Development until Oct 1 to cease operations in Russia.

The action appears intended to cut funding to organizations that Putin sees as a threat following his return as president in May after four years as prime minister, and extends what the opposition sees as a crackdown on pro-democracy groups.