Putin says Russia’s enemies seek to destroy its economy

PanARMENIAN.Net - President Vladimir Putin accused Russia's enemies on Thursday, Dec 4, of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy to punish it for growing strong, according to Reuters.

He accused the West of "pure cynicism" in Ukraine and said economic sanctions must drive Russians to develop their own economy.

The ruble fell as he spoke to an ornate hall packed with dignitaries, delivering a speech that showed no sign of turning back from policies that have brought his country to confrontation with the West unseen since the Cold War.

Russia's "enemies of yesterday" wished on it the same fate as Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he said in the speech, which ran for more than an hour and was interrupted repeatedly by applause.

"There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us – with all the tragic consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not happened. We did not allow it,” he said.

So determined was the West to destroy Russia, he said, that sanctions would have been imposed even without the crisis in Ukraine.

"I am certain that if all this did not take place... they would come up with another reason to contain Russia's growing capabilities," he said. "Whenever anyone thinks Russia has become strong, they resort to this instrument."

"We will never pursue the path of self-isolation, xenophobia, suspicion and search for enemies. All this is a manifestation of weakness, while we are strong and self-confident," Putin said.