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| Vladimir Putin lashes out at Turkey in crude new attack over downing of Syria warplane | Vladimir Putin lashes out at Turkey in crude new attack over downing of Syria warplane |
| (1 day later) | |
| Vladimir Putin has issued a furious new attack on the government of Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian warplane, using crude language and saying it may be impossible to heal the relationship between the two countries. | Vladimir Putin has issued a furious new attack on the government of Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian warplane, using crude language and saying it may be impossible to heal the relationship between the two countries. |
| The Russian president was answering questions from journalists at a marathon Q and A session to mark the end of the year, lasting just over three hours and involving almost 1,400 reporters in a vast Moscow conference centre. | The Russian president was answering questions from journalists at a marathon Q and A session to mark the end of the year, lasting just over three hours and involving almost 1,400 reporters in a vast Moscow conference centre. |
| Mr Putin gave his strongest confirmation yet of Russian military involvement in east Ukraine, admitting specialist intelligence officers carrying out “certain tasks” were deployed to the region. | Mr Putin gave his strongest confirmation yet of Russian military involvement in east Ukraine, admitting specialist intelligence officers carrying out “certain tasks” were deployed to the region. |
| But he reserved his strongest statement for Turkey, who he accused of carrying out “a hostile act” when it destroyed a Russian Su-24 bomber on the Turkish-Syrian border in late November. | But he reserved his strongest statement for Turkey, who he accused of carrying out “a hostile act” when it destroyed a Russian Su-24 bomber on the Turkish-Syrian border in late November. |
| “The Turks,” he said, “decided to lick the Americans in a certain place.” | “The Turks,” he said, “decided to lick the Americans in a certain place.” |
| Russia has since imposed strong economic sanctions of Turkey in retaliation for the incident, and positioned its most advanced anti-air weaponry to bases in northern Syria. | Russia has since imposed strong economic sanctions of Turkey in retaliation for the incident, and positioned its most advanced anti-air weaponry to bases in northern Syria. |
| And asked if he foresaw a thawing of relations in future, Mr Putin said: “It is hard for us to reach agreement with the current Turkish leadership, if at all possible. | And asked if he foresaw a thawing of relations in future, Mr Putin said: “It is hard for us to reach agreement with the current Turkish leadership, if at all possible. |
| “What have they achieved? Maybe, they thought that we would run away from there (Syria)? But Russia is not such a country,” he said. | “What have they achieved? Maybe, they thought that we would run away from there (Syria)? But Russia is not such a country,” he said. |
| On Ukraine, Russia has never accepted accusations from Washington and others that its army has been involved in fighting to bolster rebels in the disputed Donbass region. | On Ukraine, Russia has never accepted accusations from Washington and others that its army has been involved in fighting to bolster rebels in the disputed Donbass region. |
| Journalists put to him the fact that two Russian military spies had been captured by Ukrainian government forces and put on trial in Kiev. | Journalists put to him the fact that two Russian military spies had been captured by Ukrainian government forces and put on trial in Kiev. |
| “We never said there were not people there who carried out certain tasks including in the military sphere,” he said, insisting this was not the same as deploying regular Russian troops. | “We never said there were not people there who carried out certain tasks including in the military sphere,” he said, insisting this was not the same as deploying regular Russian troops. |
| Mr Putin used the start of the conference to address affairs at home, reassuring domestic viewers on the troubled state of the Russian economy and falling oil prices. | Mr Putin used the start of the conference to address affairs at home, reassuring domestic viewers on the troubled state of the Russian economy and falling oil prices. |
| “The Russian economy has passed the crisis. At least, the peak of the crisis,” Mr Putin said. | “The Russian economy has passed the crisis. At least, the peak of the crisis,” Mr Putin said. |
| The Christmas conference, a set piece of the Russian political calendar, came as Mr Putin’s own approval ratings hit 85 per cent positive – not far off the record high of almost 90 per cent in October. | The Christmas conference, a set piece of the Russian political calendar, came as Mr Putin’s own approval ratings hit 85 per cent positive – not far off the record high of almost 90 per cent in October. |
| The Q and A sessions are famously and deliberately long, seen as a sign of the president’s personal stamina. Last year’s edition also hit around the 3 hour, 10-minute mark, while the record 2008 event ran to over 4 hours and 40 minutes. | The Q and A sessions are famously and deliberately long, seen as a sign of the president’s personal stamina. Last year’s edition also hit around the 3 hour, 10-minute mark, while the record 2008 event ran to over 4 hours and 40 minutes. |
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