Putin announced Russia’s refusal to become a “gas station”

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with members of the Public Chamber of Russia. Vedomosti collected the main statements of the head of state.

About Russia’s self-sufficiency

Putin noted that Russia has transformed from a “gas station,” as it was once called, into a self-sufficient country. “When we cease to be, as we were once pointed at and called a “gas station,” and not an economy, when this all changes, when we become self-sufficient, then there will be fewer people who want to exclude us from some organizations,” he said .

According to the head of state, the Russian economy must be such that the country not only survives, but also moves forward. Only in this case and under the condition of self-sufficiency “the desire of anyone from anywhere to exclude us” will decrease. “Well, they excluded us, refused something – so what? What result?” – he asked.

According to the president, Russia’s GDP growth at the end of the year could reach 3%, while in Western countries this figure is in the negative zone. “We are not happy. We are simply making a statement,” Putin added. He also noted that the share of processing production in the structure of the Russian economy is 43%.

About relations with Ukraine

Putin explained Russia’s actions in Crimea and Donbass by the need to protect people from “Nazi scum.” “If we had relations with fraternal Ukraine <...> normal, in a modern, benevolent way, it would never occur to anyone to commit actions, for example, related to Crimea,” he said, clarifying that he calls Ukraine fraternal because the ethnic composition of Russia and Ukraine is “brotherly in the truest sense of the word.” .

The President also emphasized that corruption in Ukraine is “virtually legalized.” “The way Ukraine lived within the framework of Ukrainian corruption… There is nothing like this in the world. I assure you. <...> My jaw dropped,” he said, talking about his experience of communicating with the former leadership of Ukraine, who named the price for solving problems. It is precisely because of the inability to fight corruption that the United States “planned a change of elites” – both economic and political, Putin believes.

Putin noted that Ukraine is now selling weapons to the Middle East, including to the Taliban (the Taliban movement is recognized as terrorist and is banned in Russia).

About the situation in Dagestan

Putin emphasized that the events in Dagestan are attempts to rock Russia from within, and called attempts to organize Jewish pogroms in the country “disgusting.” “In this regard, of course, I am surprised by the position of overseas figures: they seem to still support the Jews of Israel, and with the help of their agents from Ukraine they are trying to organize Jewish pogroms in our country. Just incredible disgusting,” he said.

The head of state promised to respond to the unrest in Dagestan and take action. “For my beloved Dagestan, this is not the main trend. This is an event that we must pay attention to and respond appropriately. We will do this, of course,” the president said.

At the same time, Putin expressed regret about what is happening in the Middle East. “When you look at the suffering, bloodied children, your fists clench and tears well up in your eyes. This is the reaction of any normal person. If this reaction does not exist, then the person does not have a heart, his heart is made of stone,” the president said.