SAROV /Nizhny Novgorod Region/, September 8. /TASS/. The West deliberately provoked the conflict in Ukraine in order to slow down Russia’s development, Russian President Vladimir Putin believes.
Talking to young scientists of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center in Sarov, the head of state noted his previous conversation with the specialists in 2014.
"Back then, our adversaries made only their first steps in attempts to restrict our technological sovereignty, to obstruct our development; back then, were saying that energetic steps are necessary to ensure our technological sovereignty," Putin noted. "I must say, our predictions got confirmed, and it all happened as we said it would; they also provoked this conflict in Ukraine, and took advantage of it," the president said.
"I believe, it all done deliberately in order to create additional conditions to restrict our economic growth and to slow down Russia’s development," the head of state said.
"Back then (in 2014) we started thinking what should be done to ensure our sovereignty. A lot was done, but there is still a lot to be done," Putin underscored.