Putin: The United States supported terrorists in Chechnya

Vladimir Putin accused the United States of political and financial support for Chechen separatists, whom he called terrorists, in the 1990s-early 2000s. According to RIA Novosti, the head of state made such a statement in a four -part interview with American director Oliver Stone; The first series of interviews was released on the Snowtime TV channel.

After the start of the Chechen wars, Putin said, Moscow hoped to support Washington, but the United States began to "use these terrorists to build up the domestic political situation in Russia."

“If we talk about political support, this does not need evidence,” the head of state continued. “And as for operational support, financial, we have such evidence, and moreover, we even presented some of them to our American colleagues.”

CIA, Putin continued, sent a letter to Moscow, in which it emphasized its right to maintain "relations with all representatives of the opposition." “It was clear that it was not just about the opposition forces, but we are talking about terrorist structures and organizations. But nevertheless, they were represented in the form of some kind of ordinary opposition,” the head of state noted.

Putin said that he was discussing the situation with then President George Bush Jr. and called him the names of the employees of the American intelligence services working in the Caucasus. “The reaction of the US president was very correct, very negative,” the head of state concluded. “He said:“ I will figure it out. ”

Putin also called the appearance of "al-Qaeda" the result of Washington's work. Since the war of the USSR in Afghanistan, he said, "American special services supported various directions of Islamic fundamentalism in the fight against Soviet troops." “The Americans themselves raised both al -Qaeda*and Ben Laden,” the head of state emphasized.

Later, Putin continued, the terrorists got out of the control of Washington. “And this always happens. And our partners in the USA had to know about it. This is their fault,” said Stone's interlocutor.