full screen Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on Saturday with reporters in St. Petersburg. Archive image. Photo: Alexei Danichev/AP/TT
Russian President Vladimir Putin defended on Saturday that more and more police crackdowns are being made against people who express criticism within Russia.
– It is 2023 and Russia is involved in an armed conflict with a neighbor. And I believe there should be a certain attitude towards people who harm us inside the country,” Putin told reporters in St. Petersburg.
He also said that to achieve success, including in conflict zones, “everyone must follow certain rules.”