Russia's Opponents Use Hungry For Power Individuals In Their Interests - Putin

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th February, 2021) Russia's growing influence in the post-Soviet space and its achievements in various spheres are becoming annoying for its enemies, who resort to using ambitious individuals in their anti-Russia interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Our opponents or potential enemies have always, from time immemorial, ... in our modern history and in earlier history, ahead of and during World War I, relied on very ambitious people, hungry for power, and have always used them. They have used them, of course, not in their [the individuals'] interests, but for their own benefits," Putin said during a meeting with Russian media editors, broadcast on Rossiya 24, adding that "there is nothing new here.

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Putin emphasized that Russia's achievements in various areas, such as the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus, are "irritating" Moscow's opponents, prompting them to stick to a policy of containment, including in the economy.

"Our influence in the post-Soviet space is growing, with all the difficulties ... this causes concerns [amid Russia's opponents] and it will be something that we will be pulled away from," the Russian president said, adding that people "hungry for power" will be used in that respect and that "the more powerful we become, the harsher this policy of containment."