WASHINGTON, September 21 - RAPSI. The U.S. Department of State said that United Russia participated in the programs financed via the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), but did not specify which programs in particular.

"I was asked the question yesterday as to whether President Putin's party, United Russia, has ever availed itself of the programming that the United States offers through the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI). Our understanding is that United Russia has participated in some of IRI and NDI's programs over the years. And as I said to you, IRI and NDI offer these programs to any party in Russia that wants to take advantage of it," State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland confirmed during the press briefing Thursday.

The U.S. government established the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute in 1983 to promote and support democracy all over the world, in particular in developing countries. The institutes implement political and democratization programs, as well as issue grants.

"They've now, in recent years, focused much more of their effort on the things that parties are asking for, specifically youth leadership training, civil society, women's political participation, advocacy on issues like healthcare, and with civil society activists in the regions who are looking for help in pushing out their messages," Nuland said.

She would not name which programs United Russia took part in, but promised to give further information at a later date.

USAID is a U.S. sponsored organization that was founded by John F. Kennedy in 1961. USAID is involved in developing the economy, healthcare, providing urgent humanitarian aid, assisting in the prevention of conflicts and supporting the development of democracy in more than a hundred countries.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Russian officials had told USAID to cease its activity in Russia starting on October 1 because the agency had "tried to influence the political process in the country through its financial grants." Rights advocates have expressed concerns over USAID's pullout and stressed that it would negatively affect a number of NGOs.