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PUTIN'S INTERVIEW TO TASS

Putin outraged over calls to kill children of Russia’s National Guardsmen

According to the Russian president, this may throw the country off balance

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is fuming over calls to murder the children of servicemen from Russia’s National Guard. This may throw the country off balance, he warned.

Speaking in an interview to TASS for the project entitled "20 Questions to Vladimir Putin" he expressed his outrage over incitement being spread across Internet to kill the children of personnel from Russia’s National Guard. "What in the world is that? This is being said about those who, if the Motherland calls, have to put themselves in the line of fire to protect the interests of the state, society and of our individual citizens? Do you know to what extent is it possible to disrupt the country’s balance? There will be hell to pay, we can’t risk it."

Asked by TASS interviewer Andrei Vandenko if it was true that law enforcement officers who were involved as plaintiffs in criminal cases after the rallies in Moscow in 2019 were "so vulnerable and timid," Putin replied, "They are both vulnerable and timid, they are doing their jobs. And they must do it. Moreover, here they’re dealing with protesters, tomorrow they'll face a barrage of bullets, and what’s more they take part in combat operations."

Commenting on the measures taken by Russia’s National Guard at the rallies Putin said, "Nobody resorts to swinging a nightstick without a reason." "If people act within the existing rules and laws, who’s going to even swing a nightstick? On the contrary, they would be protected," he added.

The head of state believes that demonstrators must act in strict conformity with the law and things must not get out of hand nor should any rioting be allowed. "Today somebody throws a bottle, tomorrow - a chair, then cars are smashed to pieces. It cannot be allowed, things mustn’t get out of hand, it has to be within the law," Putin emphasized.

In the wake of 2019 rallies in Moscow, there have been threats on the Internet addressed to the children of police and Russian National Guard personnel, who were involved in maintaining law and order at these events and prevented illegal demonstrations. Blogger Vladislav Sinitsa was convicted of such extremist statements, and sentenced to five years in a penitentiary.

Episode 4 of the video interview is available at https://putin.tass.ru/en.

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