Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly dismissed a deputy prime minister on Wednesday. “Why are you acting like an idiot?” Putin asked Denis Manturov during a video conference after the man tried to correct him several times.
During the meeting, Putin complained about the delay in drawing government contracts to construct new civilian and combat aircraft. Deputy Prime Minister Manturov, responsible for Trade and Industry, replied that the “investment projects are in progress”, but an irritated Putin quickly replied that “it is all taking too long”.
“Some companies have even received a single order for 2023,” Putin continued, corrected by Manturov. “All companies have already received their order for this year, which the Ministry of Defense has also confirmed,” said the deputy prime minister.
When Manturov corrected Putin a third time a little later, the president lost his composure. “Let’s end this; what’s the point of having a little fight with you here? The directors have told me they haven’t seen any contracts yet. So why are you acting like an idiot?” said an annoyed Putin, who instructed Manturov to solve the problem “in a month, and no longer”.