MOSCOW, December 9 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia is to be seen as a strong state, and not as a bugbear, although some tend to regard it in this way, the chief of the presidential staff, Sergei Ivanov, said at a meeting with Putin’s trusted proxies.
“Everything must be done to make Russia a strong state, but not a threat to the world,” he said. “Russia should not be looked at as a bugbear by neighbors or by other major powers.”
“But at the same time we must have the power component, which is crucial to Russia and not some other people abroad,” Ivanov said.