Photo credit: kremlin.ru (CC BY 4.0)
Russians are more than a nationality, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, TASS reports. According to him, this is a cultural, spiritual, historical identity. Without Russians as an ethnic group, there is and cannot be Russia and the Russian world. The President said this during a meeting of the World Russian People's Council, which is taking place in Moscow. The President joined the participants via video link.
Being Russian means, first of all, being responsible for saving Russia, Vladimir Putin is sure. He noted that today the Russians are fighting for sovereignty, for justice, defending their security, the highest historical right to be a strong and independent country-civilization. He is sure that the world order will not be strong without a strong Russia.
In Western countries, Russophobia, other forms of racism and neo-Nazism, directed against all Russian peoples, have become the official ideology, the president said. He promised that Moscow would respond to any outside interference, to any provocations aimed at causing interethnic and interreligious conflict. Such actions are regarded as aggressive and will be retaliated, Putin clarified.
According to him, it is in diversity that Russia's competitive advantage lies; it must be maintained and increased; it contains enormous potential.
The head of state called the task of Russia for generations to come to strengthen the family and save the peoples of Russia. ''This is the future of the Russian world,'' he stressed.
The President thanked the members of the Council for their contribution to strengthening statehood and helping their compatriots - ''everyone united by the great Russian world.''
Russkiy Mir
