Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the anti-racism demonstrations in the United States are a sign of a deep internal crisis.
In doing so, Putin first addressed the major social unrest that has arisen in the US following the violent death of George Floyd during his police arrest in Minneapolis in late May.
Putin made the statement in an interview with television channel Rossiya 1. That channel put part of the interview, which will be broadcast on Sunday evening, online. It is the first television interview with Putin since the beginning of the corona crisis.
The Russian president also linked the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the interview.
“It shows there are problems. Cases related to the fight against the coronavirus have also revealed general problems.”
Putin also sketched a contrast between the situation in the United States and that in Russia. “Thank God we are heading towards the end of the situation with minimal losses. That is not the case in the United States.” In doing so, he criticized the US for lack of leadership.
“I think the problem is that group interests and party interests are put above the public interest and the interest of the people.”
Putin says he has doubts whether anyone in the Russian federal or regional governments would go against the corona strategy of the government.