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Vladimir Putin says Russia's economic crisis has peaked Putin pours fresh scorn on Turkey for downing Russian jet
(about 1 hour later)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the country's economic crisis has peaked, as he holds his annual news conference in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has used crude language in a furious new attack on Turkey over the downing of a Russian combat jet last month.
The incident on the Syria-Turkey border was a "hostile act" but Russia was "not the country" to run away, he told his annual news conference.
He saw "no prospect" of ties improving with Turkey, which Russia has put under sanctions, under its current leaders.
"The Turks", he said, had "decided to lick the Americans in a certain place".
Russia deployed its air force to Syria in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad and has been carrying out air strikes on his opponents.
Its intervention has been heavily criticised by Turkey, the US and Gulf Arab states.
Mr Putin is now into his third term as president since 2000, battling an economic crisis. Critics say civil liberties have been steadily eroded under his rule.
He remains one of the world's most recognisable politicians, and has topped the list of The World's Most Powerful People compiled by Forbes magazine for the third year running.
Follow the BBC's Steve Rosenberg on Twitter or live coverage of the Putin news conference.
Mr Putin said Turkish officials should have picked up the phone to talk to Russia about their concerns that air strikes in Syria were hitting Turkmen rebels.
Turkey, he said, had achieved nothing by shooting down the jet while Russia had bolstered its presence in Syria by deploying anti-aircraft missiles.
Mr Putin touched on other issues at the news conference
Mr Putin said his country's economic crisis had peaked.
While oil prices had fallen sharply, he said, manufacturing had shown slight growth and there was a healthy trade balance in agriculture.While oil prices had fallen sharply, he said, manufacturing had shown slight growth and there was a healthy trade balance in agriculture.
The news conference is one of the key events in Russia's political year.
It comes in a year which saw post-Soviet Russia launch its first war outside Europe, in Syria.
"Our economy depends on oil and gas prices, we expected Brent to be worth $100 dollars per barrel, but then it was 50, but this was an optimistic prediction too, our forecasts have to be amended again," Mr Putin said."Our economy depends on oil and gas prices, we expected Brent to be worth $100 dollars per barrel, but then it was 50, but this was an optimistic prediction too, our forecasts have to be amended again," Mr Putin said.
"GDP is falling, inflation is 12.3%, incomes, investment are falling too but the peak of the economic crisis is over.""GDP is falling, inflation is 12.3%, incomes, investment are falling too but the peak of the economic crisis is over."
Economic output was still falling, but Mr Putin predicted growth in the new year of 0.7%, rising to 1.9% in 2017 and 2.4% in 2018, based on oil at $50 a barrel.
While low oil prices and Western sanctions over Ukraine have hit the economy, foreign debt is low and the private sector is proving resourceful, according to a recent overview in The Economist.While low oil prices and Western sanctions over Ukraine have hit the economy, foreign debt is low and the private sector is proving resourceful, according to a recent overview in The Economist.
Critics say civil liberties have been steadily eroded under Mr Putin, who is now into his third term as president since 2000.
He remains one of the world's most recognisable politicians, and has topped the list of The World's Most Powerful People compiled by Forbes magazine for the third year running.
'Information war'
Mr Putin is known for his marathon performances at his news conferences, where he frequently uses hard-hitting, colourful language.Mr Putin is known for his marathon performances at his news conferences, where he frequently uses hard-hitting, colourful language.
In an interview with state TV on Wednesday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was a target in a "big information war [which] has been waged for a long time".In an interview with state TV on Wednesday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was a target in a "big information war [which] has been waged for a long time".
One of last year's news conference highlights was the bear metaphor Mr Putin used to describe how the West treats Russia. Last year, Mr Putin's annual news conference lasted three hours and 10 minutes, while the record was set in 2008 at four hours 40 minutes.
"Imagine the bear who guards his forest," he said.
"Maybe the bear should just sit quietly, eating berries and honey rather than chasing piglets? Maybe then they would leave us alone? But no, they would still try to chain the bear, and take out his claws and fangs, so the bear could not do anything - he would just be a stuffed animal. Do we want our bear to be a stuffed animal?
Last year, the event lasted three hours and 10 minutes, while the record was set in 2008 at four hours 40 minutes.