BRUSSELS - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday that the United States supports the "rights and aspirations" of the Russia people, two days after her comments on the Russian parliamentary election triggered criticism from Moscow.

"We expressed concerns that we saw were well-founded about the conduct of the elections," Clinton told reporters in Brussels.

"And we are supportive of the rights and aspirations of the Russia people to be able to make progress and to realize better future for themselves. And we hope to see that unfold in the years ahead," she said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Clinton said that the Russian Duma elections held on Sunday were "neither free nor fair."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Clinton's comment was "unacceptable" and urged the United States to refrain from interfering its internal affairs.