MOSCOW, November 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was always “troubled and alarmed” to hear that Russia have special opportunities to solve definite world conflicts and viewed such statements as attempts to pass the responsibility on to Russia.

“You know, when someone tells us that we have some special opportunities to solve this or that crisis it always troubles and alarms me,” Putin said in an interview with German TV channel ARD.

“We have heard many times that Russia has a key to the solution of the Syrian problem, that we have some special opportunities to solve some other problem or the Ukrainian crisis,” the Russian president said.

“I always begin to suspect that there is an intention to pass on the responsibility to us and to make us pay for something. We do not want that,” he added.

Ukraine is an independent state, Putin said, but Russia is concerned that its eastern neighbor might end up as a neo-Nazi state.

“Ukraine is an independent, free and sovereign state,” the Russian president said. “Frankly speaking, we are very concerned about any possible ethnic cleansings and Ukraine ending up as a neo-Nazi state.”

“What are we supposed to think if people are bearing swastikas on their sleeves? Or what about the SS emblems that we see on the helmets of some military units now fighting in eastern Ukraine?” he said.

“If it is a civilized state, where are the authorities looking? At least they could get rid of this uniform, they could make the nationalists remove these emblems,” Putin said.

“That is why we have fears that it may all end up this way. If it happens it would be a catastrophe for Ukraine and Ukrainian people,” he added.