Putin: The Ukrainian Crisis is a Tool of the West to Weaken Russia
Lesson Brief
Voice of America
On December 4, Voice of America reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his annual state of the nation address, taking the opportunity to blast the West for its action toward Russia in recent months. The speech comes at a time when Russia is entering a major economic crisis, with a highly devalued ruble and plummeting oil prices, a crisis which Putin places blame solely on the West for instigating. Kremlin critics saw the speech as an attempt by Putin to place blame elsewhere for the Kremlin's own blunders and also as a sign of the high level of political instability in Russia today.