President Vladimir Putin slams West for using critic Alexei Navalny to ‘contain’ Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin took a dig at the West, accusing them
of using jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny to try to “contain” Russia,
AFP reported. Putin suggested that the protests that brought the people to
streets braving the cold conditions were fed from abroad, against the backdrop
of the widespread “exhaustion, frustration and dissatisfaction”
arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our opponents or our potential opponents… have always relied on
— and used — ambitious, power-hungry people,” Putin said in an interview
with Russian media conducted on Wednesday but only broadcast on Sunday by
public channel Rossiya 24.

Also Read | Germany, France and Poland warn Russia of consequences after diplomats’ expulsion

He said that Russia’s “numerous successes” with respect to military
and health were “starting to irritate” Moscow’s opponents.

“The stronger we become, the stronger this containment
policy,” Putin said.

Navalny, a persistent thorn in Putin’s side, was arrested on his return
from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning he claimed was
carried out by the Kremlin and the Russian security services, FSB.

Also Read | Sergey Maximishin, who treated Kremlin-critic Alexei Navalny after poisoning, dead at 55

The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was subsequently jailed for
nearly three years, sparking nationwide protests that saw more than 10,000
people detained and led to allegations of police abuse.

The merciless crackdown has been sharply criticised by Europe and the
United States.