Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin responded Thursday to criticism by U.S. Senator John McCain, claiming the U.S. was involved in the slaying of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

"Drones, including American ones (killed Gaddafi). They attacked his column....and killed him without court or investigation," Putin said, adding he would not see McCain as a friend.

After the prime minister's United Russia party was returned to power in last week's parliamentary elections amid allegations of vote fraud, McCain wrote on his twitter account that the Arab Spring was coming to Russia.

Putin also slammed the "democracy" in which Gaddafi was attacked and murdered.

"They showed to the whole world how he (Gaddafi) was killed; there was blood all over. Is that what they call a democracy?" Putin asked.

Putin said the mass rallies last Saturday protesting the alleged vote fraud were organized on orders from the West to destabilize the country.

"There are some people in the opposition groups who have Russian passports but work for the interests of foreign states," Putin said, adding it was wrong for people to "allow themselves to be sucked into schemes to destabilize society."

Putin also said the "color revolutions" that swept former Soviet republics in the 2000s was proved a well-organized pattern to destabilize a society.

Russia's Central Elections Commission announced last week the ruling United Russia gained an absolute majority in the new Duma, or lower house of parliament. The Communist Party, A Just Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia were the other parties to win seats.

After the elections, Moscow witnessed mass protests against the alleged vote fraud.

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• Gaddafi's death might trigger instability in Libya: Italian experts
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