GENEVA, August 5. /TASS/. Swiss media is mass·marketing a thesis about a mythical "Russian interference" in the internal affairs of the confederation ahead of the September 27 referendum on the country’s neutrality, but they do not provide any real examples to support the unsubstantiated claims, the Russian embassy in Bern said in a statement.

It said that, as evidence of "Russian interference," the Swiss press cites two "completely untenable" and "blatantly far·fetched" arguments, which the media are disseminating "with a persistence worthy of better use. The reason for this persistence is clear — to fulfill a political order and convince Swiss voters to vote in the desired way in opposition to 'foreign interference,' which in reality does not exist."

The diplomatic mission noted that this refers, for example, to a July 31 comment by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, where she reiterated the thesis that has been voiced by Moscow over the past four years -- that Switzerland has de facto lost its neutral status. However, Zakharova did not call on Swiss citizens to vote in any particular way in the upcoming referendum.

Another argument is a recent joint report by the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries on the human rights situation in some countries, compiled on the basis of data from international organizations, NGOs, and government agencies of the confederation. The embassy explained that the report contains "an external assessment of the state of affairs regarding human rights in the country," the same "as in a recent report by the Swiss intelligence service dated June 25, 2026, which contains criticism of the internal situation in Russia." "So, is this also an interference in Russia’s internal affairs?" the diplomatic mission said.

Earlier, Switzerland announced that a referendum on the popular legislative initiative "On Neutrality" would be held on September 27. It envisages enshrining in the country’s constitution the principle of perpetual armed and comprehensive neutrality, which excludes imposing any sanctions except those adopted by the UN Security Council, as well as restrictive measures aimed at preventing the circumvention of sanctions imposed by other states. Currently, the confederation’s constitution says only that the government and parliament are responsible for "issues of neutrality." This wording allows for various interpretations depending on the political situation. If the initiative is adopted, the Swiss government may be forced to reconsider or cancel several anti·Russian sanctions.