[Breaking news update, posted at 9:30 a.m. ET]
Russian President Vladimir Putin is accusing the United States of trying to destabilize Russia before elections this September with allegations in the Panama Papers. Putin’s allegation came during Putin’s annual televised question-and-answer session in Moscow on Thursday.
[Previous story, posted at 8:30 a.m. ET]
It might not be the most pressing question in international affairs. But it is interesting to ponder. And out of the mouths of babes come great questions.
At a public question-and-answer session Thursday, a 12-year-old girl asked Russian President Vladimir Putin: If he saw Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drowning, which one he would save?
Putin is known to dislike both men. And he dodged the question.
“If someone decided to drown, so it will be impossible to save him,” he said. “However, we are ready to help everyone if they want it.”
The other questions to Putin covered a wide range of topics. Among them were these:
Doping in athletics
Putin said Russian athletes have done nothing wrong.
Meldonium, a banned performance-enhancing drug, “never belonged in the category of doping,” Putin said. “It does not affect the result; it simply helps the heart keep in good condition under heavy strain. Meldonium was invented in the USSR. The drug is mostly used by Eastern European athletes. WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) has adjusted its position, saying it will undergo trials to understand how rapidly meldonium is excreted.”
Russian tennis champ Maria Sharapova was banned from play by the International Tennis Federation after testing positive for the drug at the Australian Open in January.
“We understand that our athletes are in a difficult situation,” Putin said. “WADA is reviewing its approach to the use of the drug, and we are working for a fair decision. The Ministry of Sport is working with good lawyers.”
Travel for Russians to Turkey and Egypt
“It is not dependent on us,” Putin said. “In Egypt, authorities are struggling with radicals. We are working with Egyptian authorities to find a way to screen passengers, baggage and food. At the moment, we have not found the answer.”
“With Turkey, we see a similar picture. The current leadership is not struggling as much with radicals. There is a security problem. We try not to notice it, but there is use of heavy weapons and terrorist attacks. We have to tell our citizens that Turkey is dangerous. We tell our people to holiday in Crimea, the Caucasus and other countries.”
War and terrorism have strained relations between Russia and the two countries. In October, Metrojet Flight 9268 from Egypt to Russia was downed over Egypt’s Sinai, killing 224 people. ISIS took credit for bombing the Russian airliner. And in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border. Afterward, Putin advised Russians not to visit Turkey, and Russia’s Federal Agency for Tourism told travel agents to stop selling tours to the country.
On Russian help for the government of Syria
Putin took credit for the Syrian government’s ability to regain control of Palmyra from ISIS.
“We left the Syrian army in such a state that they are able to carry out offensive operations, and we have seen that after our withdrawal they took back Palmyra,” he said.
But other aspects of Syria’s civil war are tougher, he said.
“Around Aleppo, the situation is very difficult,” Putin said. “It is the second-largest city and commercial capital. The opposition is trying to improve its position, while everything is fine with the Syrian army there. We are closely monitoring the situation and will do everything to make sure it does not deteriorate.”