MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the country’s strategic enemies seek to divide Russia because they think it’s "too big."

"Our strategic enemies have had the goal to disintegrate, weaken and divide our country for centuries. There’s nothing new about it. The country, it seems to them, is too big and menacing for someone, so it needs a bit of splitting up, dividing. That has always been [the case]," he said.

He said throughout centuries, "wherever you look, that was the goal," and it’s enough to read up on relevant literature to be confident that was the case.

"They have always nurtured ideas and built plans, hopes that they will succeed one way or another," Putin said.

Russia, he continued, "has always, almost always, stuck with a completely different approach, different beliefs."

"We have always sought to be part of the so-called civilized world. So, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, which we allowed with our own hands, it seemed to us for some reason that any day now we would become part of that so-called civilized world. But it turned out we weren’t welcome there, despite all our efforts and attempts. I’m saying this having in mind my own work as well. I also made these efforts, our efforts to be closer, to be part of it - no," the president said.

"On the contrary, other actions were made, including using international terrorists in the Caucasus in order to finish off Russia, break up the newly created Russian Federation," Putin said. He said many of the attendees of the meeting know that perfectly well.

The president said Russia’s enemies "seemed to pronounced an anathema to Al Qaeda (a terrorist group banned in Russia) and other criminals but it was considered acceptable to use them on the territory of Russia, they were given all kinds of support - financial, media, political one, anything they liked, including military support - so that they go to war on Russia."

Nonetheless, Putin said, thanks to the peoples of the Caucasus, thanks to the people of Chechnya, thanks to the heroism of its servicemen, Russia has been able to endure that difficult period of its history.

"We have weathered these tests and became stronger," he said.