Ukraine and the USA, Prigozhin and PMC "Wagner", nuclear war, protests and sanctions

On December 20, Putin answered questions from Russian and foreign journalists for the 14th time. For today's event, extending four hours, 1702 people accredited - only the author of investigations about GRU employees involved in the poisoning of the Skripals, Roman Dobrokhotov, was not allowed into the hall. Ilya Azar, the Novaya Gazeta specialist managed to ask his question. We give the answers of Vladimir Putin, important in the view of the editorial office.

About the threat of nuclear war:

"The task of Russia is to ensure the safety of its people"

According to Putin, the danger of nuclear war in the world is now “obscured” and leaves. If such a situation arises, then this can lead to the death of the entire civilization. The President noted that the collapse of the international arms system is now observed. After the United States exit from international treaties, Russia was forced to answer the creation of new missile defense systems. There are no such systems in the world, Putin claims. The main task of Russia is currently ensuring the safety of its people and “maintain balance”.

Putin noted that there is a tendency to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons and the idea of ​​using ballistic missiles is not in nuclear performance: “And you go there while it flies, it is nuclear or not. This is all on the verge of a possible error, and here it is important not to bring to extremes. I begin from the fact that humanity has enough common sense. ”

About Prigozhin, the deaths of journalists in the TsAS and PMC "Wagner" (question "Novaya Gazeta"):

"All my cooks are from the FSO, I have no other cooks"

The death of journalists in the Central African Republic is a tragedy. But they came to the country without notifying the authorities, like tourists. “There are no reliable data about what happened there, but we expect to get them. Russia on the differentials holds the situation under control, ”Putin said.

When asked about the businessman Evgenia Prigozhin, who is called the “Kremlin cook” and the founder of the Wagner PMC, the president replied that all his cooks are employees of the Federal Security Service and are military: “I have no other cooks. If someone wants to glue the labels, this is their business, we have such a political fuss. We do not give this “food” to anyone, except FSO, ”.

At the same time, Putin noted that the activities of PMCs should remain within the framework of the law. According to him, if Russian legislation is not violated, then PMCs can act anywhere in the world and push their business interests. “We can prohibit private security activities, but, I think that then they will come to you with a petition to protect this labor market,” the president added.

About the Donbass, the conflict in the Kerch Strait and the "Church split":

"The mind is not comprehensible"

Answering a question about the conflict in the Kerch Strait, Putin said that Ukraine tried to aggravate the situation: “Ukrainian partners need this in order to increase the Poroshenko rating before the upcoming elections. He managed to increase the rating, so he fulfilled his task, but due to the interests of his state. ”

Putin added that the issue of the exchange of sailors arrested in Russia for prisoners on the territory of Ukraine was raised, but decisions are made only after the closure of the criminal case: “As for the Ukrainian military, they were sent, hoping that someone would die. But, thank God, this did not happen. There is a consequence, then it will be clear what to do with it. ”

Putin gave the floor to a journalist from Ukraine Roman Tsimbalyuk, who asked how much money the Russian president “spends on the occupied Donbass”, and whether it is planned to exchange concluded between the two countries. Putin replied that the Ukrainian authorities themselves introduced an economic blockade on their territory and themselves began a war against their citizens: “We provide support so that they would not be crushed there, do not eat or tore.

Putin called the situation with the separation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, “what is not comprehensible”: “What is happening in Ukraine is the direct intervention of the state into church life. See what dependence comes from the Turkish Patriarchate: both in terms of appointments and in terms of money. Money is probably the main motive for Bartholomew. The redistribution of property will begin soon. ” According to the Russian president, the conflict associated with the separation of the Ukrainian Church can acquire a "very difficult, if not bloody character."

About sanctions:

"There are pluses from sanctions"

Russia, according to Putin, lives almost its entire history with restrictions. This is due to the growth of the country's power and simply - an occasion for taking hold measures. “Our economy has already adapted to these restrictions. Here the US Treasury considered that in 2015 we had a decline in the economy by 2.5 %, while only one third-due to sanctions, ”Putin said. - In my opinion, even less. But this also affects those who do this, for example, Europe has lost many billion euros because of this. ”

“But there are pluses from sanctions. This forced to turn on the brains in many directions. The share of domestic transport engineering amounted to 98%, in other key areas - about 80%, ”Putin said, adding that the volume of Russian sales to the foreign market increased after the sanctions by 16 times.

About protests in France:

"People do not like changes at their expense"

The increase in fuel prices has become a trigger and a “trigger” to express dissatisfaction as a whole. The French authorities deliberately increase gasoline prices in order to redistribute resources to solve other problems, including in the energy sector. And people do not like the changes that take place at their expense, the president said.

The main difference between events in France and the situation with gasoline in Russia is that the Russian government is taking measures to slow down prices. “The company has reached an agreement by the oil and gas company until March next year. Correction is possible due to VAT increase, but soft - in the region of 1–1.5 %. Further, the government should carefully monitor what will be on the market. I hope that it will not allow jumps in prices. ”

About relations with other countries

• Vycobrinia:

Russian-British relations are “at an impasse”, and in the interests of both countries to come out of them. Russia is interested in full -format relations, because the country has a British business, in particular British Petrolium. According to the president, Brexit will affect many countries, including Russia, but indirectly and indirectly.

• Japan :

Russia is extremely important to the issue of security when concluding a peace treaty with Japan. In particular, the placement of American PROs and the military base on Okinawa: “The Governor of Okinawa against decisions related to the strengthening of the base, but cannot do anything. And people are against, require the withdrawal of this base. Everything is against, but this is happening. What will happen after the conclusion of a peace treaty, we do not know. ”

• China

Between Russia and China, the level of trust is growing. This is evidenced by an increase in the turnover: this year it will reach 100 billion mark. “We positively evaluate the changes that have occurred in China. For such a country, stability and predictability are very important. ”

• Armenia

Armenia is a Russian strategic partner with whom it is necessary to develop what was created by previous generations. “We have nothing to collapse and what requires recovery. The Armenian people are the closest employee of the Russian people in the Caucasus. We need to proceed from realities, from the current situation and needs. We will discuss this in the near future with Prime Minister Pashinyan, the meeting will take place next week. ”

On the prohibitions of rap concerts

"You definitely can't indulge"

There is nothing good in plucking the concerts of rappers. “You can’t grab it and not let go, but you can’t indulge. They have drug propaganda, why do we need youth to indulge in drugs? This is the degradation of the nation, do we want to degrade? <..> It was still fashionable to promote suicide, do we all go hang around? Chur? I'm not the first! " Putin added that in matters related to youth, you need to act carefully and calmly, without gross prohibitions.

About the garbage problem

"In Tokyo, plants are in the city center, but there is no smell"

The situation with the processing of garbage is difficult, but the answer to it is simple: “We have never done this. Just for decades, garbage has been dumped into the pit. With the development of industry, the amount of garbage has only increased, ”says Putin.

The government plans, according to Putin, eliminate illegal landfills, and then build infrastructure for processing, separate collection and disposal of garbage. He promised that until 2024, 200 garbage processing plants would be built in Russia.

“Citizens are opposed to the construction of garbage processing plants, I understand them. But it is necessary that the plants are of high quality, so that everything is done taking into account foreign experience. There, in Tokyo almost in the city center, factories are standing, but there is no smell, ”the president notes.