About the USA, the USSR, and daughters with sons-in-law: what Putin said in an interview with Stone

Photo by: kremlin.ru

In the film “Interview with Putin” directed by Oliver Stone, the first episode of which was shown by the cable channel showtime, the president of Russia drives a car, accuses the USA of supporting militants in Chechnya, criticizes Gorbachev and, which rarely happens, answers the question about his family.

Screening of a documentary film by an American director, “Interview with Putin” (The Putin Interviews) 12 June launched on cable channel showtime, writes Air force.

US intelligence agencies helped militants in Chechnya, there is evidence, Vladimir Putin told Oliver Stone. He also alleged Washington's involvement in the creation of al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) in Afghanistan and criticized former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for failing to obtain NATO non-proliferation guarantees to the east.

Photo: video frame

Putin answered Stone’s questions, including in an informal setting, for example, while driving a car. The BBC Russian service selected Putin's most notable statements (quotes from Interfax and RIA Novosti).

About American support for militants in the Caucasus

When we started having problems in Chechnya, in the North Caucasus, unfortunately, the Americans supported these processes.

We had an absolutely stable opinion then that our American partners are speaking in words about supporting Russia, about the need for cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and in fact they are using these terrorists to sway the domestic political situation in Russia.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

With regard to information and political support, it does not need proof, it was obvious to all. This was done publicly, openly.

As for operational support, financial, we have such evidence, and, moreover, we provided some of them to our American colleagues.

There was even a moment when I told President Bush about this, showed him, even named the names of US intelligence officers who then worked in the Caucasus and not only provided some kind of general political support, but provided technical support, moved militants from one place to another .

On US involvement in the creation of Al-Qaeda

"Al-Qaeda is not the result of our activities, it is the result of the activities of our American friends."

It began with the Soviet war in Afghanistan, when American intelligence services supported various areas of Islamic fundamentalism in the fight against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The Americans themselves raised both Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, but it all got out of control.

This is always the case, and our partners in the United States should have been aware of this. It is their fault.

About US support after September 11

The very next day we planned the exercises of our nuclear strategic forces. I canceled them.

And I wanted the US president to know about it, and, of course, he understood perfectly that in these situations, the first persons need moral and political support.

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About Gorbachev and NATO expansion

When the issue of the unification of Germany and the subsequent withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe was decided, then officials in the United States and the NATO secretary general, then everyone said that the Soviet Union alone could be sure that NATO’s eastern border would not be pushed back further than today's eastern border of the German Democratic Republic.

It was not fixed on paper. This error is from Gorbachev. In politics, you need to fix things. Even fixed things are often broken. But he just talked and decided that everything was over. This is not true.

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About the collapse of the USSR

I have often heard criticism that I regret the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The most important thing is that after the collapse of the Soviet Union 25 millions of Russian people in one night were abroad. And this is really one of the biggest catastrophes of the 20 century.

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It was clear, apparently, for Gorbachev, and for those who surrounded him, that the country needs changes.

But today I can say with full confidence that they did not understand what changes were needed, and how to achieve them.

How it was necessary to do so in order to change the situation in the country, change the system, but save the country - this was something no one, including Gorbachev, knew then, and they led to the collapse of the country.

About Boris Yeltsin’s decision

He invited me, said that he would like to appoint me prime minister, and would like me to run for president. I said that this is a very big responsibility, this should change all my life, and I am not sure that I am ready for this.

I do not know why Yeltsin chose me.

It’s one thing to be just an official, even a high-ranking one, you can live the life of an almost ordinary person - go to visit, go to the cinema, go to the theater, freely, communicate with friends, and not bear such personal responsibility for everything that happens in the country, for the fate of millions of people.

Taking responsibility for Russia in that situation is a very difficult matter. Frankly speaking, I didn’t know then what President Yeltsin’s final plans were. I didn't know how long I could do this. Because at any second the president could say: “Free.”

Then I thought only about one thing: where to hide the children.

Imagine: I would be dismissed. No security, nothing. And what to do? How to live? How to ensure family safety?

I then decided for myself that since fate so decreed, I must go to the end. And then I did not know for one hundred percent that I would be president, no one gave any guarantees about this.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

About daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren

When asked by Oliver Stone if he loves his grandchildren, Putin replied: “Very much.” At the same time, answering whether he manages to play with them, the president said: “Very rarely, unfortunately.”

Speaking about his family, Putin noted that he is proud of his daughters, who have their own family life, and he sees them. He also admitted that he sometimes discusses with his sons, often opinions vary.

There are also great. We do not argue, we are more likely to debate. And they [daughters] too. But they are not engaged in politics, no big business. They are engaged in science, education.

Vladimir Putin and his former wife Lyudmila Putin have two daughters, Maria and Katerina. Officially, nothing is known about their life. According to media reports, Maria is engaged in science and is married to a Dutch businessman Jorrit Jost Faassen, they have a daughter. Katerina, according to journalists, wears Tikhonov's surname and heads the Innopraktika Foundation, which is involved in the Moscow State University Scientific Valley project. She is married to billionaire Kirill Shamalovreported by the media. Putin has never confirmed this.

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