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Reaction to anti-COVID measures reveals deeper social discontent roots — Putin

The exaggerated, sharp and sometimes aggressive reaction of society and the youth to anti-coronavirus measures showed that this infection was just a pretext, the President said

SOCHI, October 21. /TASS/. Society’s sharp reaction to anti-COVID measures has revealed far deeper social discontent roots, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday.

"The exaggerated, sharp and sometimes aggressive reaction of society and the youth to anti-coronavirus measures showed that this infection was just a pretext. The causes for social irritation and discontent are much deeper," the Russian leader said.

Theoretically, the pandemic should have united people but actually became a dividing factor, Putin pointed out.

"There are a lot of reasons for that but a key reason is that the emphasis was made on accustomed schemes to solve the problems. These were various but accustomed recipes. However, they do not work. Or, to be more exact, they work but frequently bring about opposite results. No matter how strange this may seem, they work to worsen the situation," the Russian president said.

Putin called on other countries to brush aside inappropriate ambitions and work together to fight the pandemic.