Russian officials denied accusations that the Kremlin plotted last year to assassinate the former prime minister of Montenegro and overthrow the country's government.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Wednesday that the allegations by Montenegrin officials lacked evidence and were "inflicting serious damage" on relations between the two countries, CNN reported.
Montenegro's special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic last week accused the Russian government and its secret operatives of planning an election day coup in October aimed at taking out former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic in an attempt to prevent the country from joining NATO.
The Oct. 16 plot was disrupted hours before it was set to be carried out, the Telegraph reported.
The Kremlin is against further expansion of NATO in Europe, and while Russian officials have repeatedly denied involvement in the coup attempt, the government has backed nationalist groups and parties that are opposed to Montenegro joining NATO.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call on Monday that the claims are "absurd."
"There can't be even talk about any sort of Russian officials' interference into Montenegro's internal affairs," Peskov said. "Russia hasn't interfered and isn't going to interfere into domestic affairs of other countries, and in particular Montenegro with which we have very good relations."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier denied the allegations as "unfounded accusations" that he said "haven't been backed by a single fact."
American and British intelligence agencies working with Montenegrin authorities have gathered evidence pointing to high-level Russian involvement, according to the Telegraph.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his British counterpart, Boris Johnson, discussed the allegations in person last week.
Montenegrin authorities have arrested roughly 20 people, primarily Serbian nationals, in connection to the plot.
"The meddling by Russia into our electoral process was obvious from different levels," Montenegro's foreign minister, Srdjan Darmanovic, said on Monday, ABC News reported.
"In today's world, such interference is not specific only for Montenegro," he added.