President Vladimir Putin sternly urged the West to respect Russia’s interests in global affairs and defended his move to sanction the delivery of a long-range air defense missile system to Iran during a marathon TV call-in show with the nation.
He also described the killing of top Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov as “tragic and shameful” and said he wasn’t certain if the Russian law-enforcement agencies would be able to track down those who organized the attack.
He focused heavily on economic issues, saying the nation’s economic performance has remained strong, despite Western sanctions slapped on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis and a slump in global oil prices. He pointed at the ruble’s recovery as a sign of a renewed investor confidence in Russia.
