Putin: Provocations against Russia Possible in 2016

InSerbiaSpeaking at a board meeting of the federal security service FSB on Thursday he demanded quashing such destabilization attempts.

“There have been continued attempts by Western secret services for using non-governmental organizations and politicized associations for their purposes first and foremost for discrediting the authorities and destabilizing the internal situation in Russia,” Putin said. He warned there were plans for such actions during the forthcoming election campaigns of 2016 and 2018.

“I have said more than once and I can say once again: we are prepared for a dialogue with the opposition, we will maintain relations of partnership with civil society in the broadest sense. We invariably turn an attentive ear to those who meaningfully criticize the authorities at any level for certain actions or for inactivity. Such a dialogue and partnership are always useful and absolutely necessary in any country, including ours,” Putin said. At the same time he said that “it makes no sense to enter into discussions with those who act on orders from abroad, in the interests of another country or other countries, and not their own.”

“We will keep focus on the existence of foreign sources of financing non-governmental organizations and checking the conformity of their officially proclaimed goals with their practical work. Any violations must be blocked,” Putin said.