Putin: Navalny used COVID-19 pandemic to fuel protests in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the protests in support of Alexei Navalny began because of the accumulated dissatisfaction of the Russians due to the pandemic.
"As for the fact that people went out to protests, also not only because of this individual [Navalny], yes, you're probably right. It is. You know what's going on, because this individual is taking advantage of it right now, just when in all countries of the world, including ours, people experience fatigue, accumulated irritation, discontent, including with their living conditions, their level of income," Putin said on air of Rossiya-24 TV channel, Interfax reports.
Putin noted that when a person’s living conditions worsen, he begins to blame the authorities. "The authorities have to live with it. There is nothing we can do about it," Putin said.
Putin added that this fuel the protests in Europe, in the United States, in other countries. "And they are trying to take advantage of it," Putin said.
According to him, in the current situation the authorities should be patient and work steadily, "not just solving the problem with money."
On January 23, 31 and February 2, rallies in support of Alexei Navalny were held all over Russia.