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Putin accuses West of meddling in Russian domestic politics

Vladimir Putin has pointed to the West’s 'systematic crude and unceremonious interference' in Russia’s home affairs

ST. PETERSBURG, June 2. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pointed to the West’s systematic crude and unceremonious interference in Russia’s home affairs.

"There has been systematic, crude and absolutely unceremonious intervention in our home affairs. Sometimes it happened at the level of diplomatic agencies," Putin said at the full-scale meeting of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

"You should’ve seen what your colleagues have been doing here. They’d poke their nose into our domestic affairs trying to get a foothold in them and they’d fuss around and never hesitate to walk over you," Putin said, addressing the moderator of the debate, Megyn Kelly. "We’ve had enough."

As he answered questions about a "Russian connection" in US President Donald Trump’s victory and the latter’s alleged recognition there had been such assistance, Putin asked for a copy of the transcript of the US leader’s statement to that effect.

"I haven’t seen anything like it yet," Putin said.

When Kelly replied she had an impression Trump had said something of the kind, Putin replied it was not very appropriate to make guesses of this sort when world policy issues were on the agenda.