"Americans are trying to draw Russia into an international military conflict and use the situation in Ukraine to force the change of power [in Russia] with the ultimate goal of splitting the country," Patrushev said in an interview with the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper published on Tuesday.
He added that Washington is not concerned about Ukraine. Rather, it is using the crisis in Ukraine as a lever to influence Russia.
Most recently, Washington announced that it was considering arming Ukrainian troops, claiming Russia was doing the same for anti-Kiev militias.
Russia and the European Union have both voiced concern that proposed US arms deliveries to Ukraine could lead to a surge of violence in crisis-hit Ukraine, where almost 5,500 have died since clashes began last April. Germany, Britain and France have already ruled out lethal aid to Kiev in present circumstances.
