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Russia only seeks to protect itself from foreign meddling - Putin on 'sovereign internet' & 'foreign agents' laws

During his major annual press conference, Putin was asked about two controversial laws regarding 'sovereign internet' and 'foreign agents' - which have been criticized as big steps towards having a closed society.

The legislation, commonly known as the 'Sovereign Internet Bill,' was adopted earlier this year and took effect on November 1. It envisions a system that would ensure the autonomous functioning of the Russian-language segment of the global web in case of a global internet shutdown. Critics of the law, however, expressed concern that the government might use it to impose strict control over the web, manipulating the flow of information and censoring online content.

"Free internet and sovereign internet are not mutually exclusive concepts. The law is aimed only to prevent negative consequence of being potentially cut off from the global web, which controls are located primarily abroad," Putin stated, dismissing allegations of conspiring to impose strict state control over the web.

The law, which introduced the mandatory designation of 'foreign agent', was initially focused on foreign-funded NGOs, but later its scope was expanded to media outlets. Organizations designated as 'foreign agents' are obliged to disclose their leadership architecture, their spending, as well as undergoing frequent audits. Late this year, the law was expanded again, now affecting private individuals, too.

The legislation still requires certain improvements, the Russian president said, warning against a "broad interpretation" of it, especially regarding private individuals, to not harm actual humanitarian work. The law was expanded to private individuals since foreign-funded organizations have been trying to circumvent the restrictions - they have started receiving money from locals, who, in turn, receive cash from abroad, Putin explained.

"If you get money from abroad to partake in domestic political activities - say so explicitly. He who pays the piper calls the tune, you know. And if you receive funding from abroad, there are strong reasons to believe you are taking orders from those who pay you."

Every nation seeks to protect itself from foreign meddling, and the legislation has been designed as a tool to minimize that influence, Putin said. Similar legislation exists in many countries, and the 'foreign agent' designation itself originated from the US, where it has been in active use since the late 1930s, he noted. Unlike in the US, however, the repercussions in Russia for not being registered as a foreign agent while acting as one are very mild - organizations and individuals are only subject to fines, Putin added, bringing up the case of Russian gun activist Maria Butina.

"[In the US] it affects private individuals as well. Our citizen Maria Butina is a private individual. Yet she was thrown behind bars without any reason. What kind of agent is she? She's nowhere near being one. But she was jailed, spent time behind bars - and was even threatened with a lengthy prison term."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that a global arms race is inevitable if the US and Russia do not agree to extend the ten-year Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which is due to expire in early 2021.

Speaking at a Q&A session with reporters in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said that Russia stands ready "to simply renew the existing New START agreement," even if it happens as fast as by the end of this year.

"They can send us the [agreement] tomorrow, or we can sign and send it to Washington. Let their designated official sign it too, including the president, if they're ready to do so."

"But so far our proposals have been left unanswered" by the US, Putin stressed.

"If the New START ceases to exist, nothing in the world will hold back an arms race. I believe this is bad."

Signed by the US and Russia in 2010, the treaty limits the development and deployment of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery.

Putin was asked about crisis resolution in Ukraine and the future of the Normandy Four talks between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. The president said that some progress has been made in resolving the crisis, but it is direct dialogue between the authorities in Kiev and the people of Ukraine living in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics that could really help the cause. Yet, this is precisely what is lacking.

"A direct dialogue with Donbass is needed. Yet, there is no dialogue."

Any move related to the status of the rebellious eastern Ukrainian regions should be coordinated with those regions, Putin said, adding that Kiev should not unilaterally take decisions on any "decentralization" issues that go beyond the framework of the Minsk Agreements which still remain the only plausible way to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.

Some positive steps have been made, the president admitted, such as troop withdrawal from several areas in eastern Ukraine, and the extension of the law on the special status of Donbass. Some new areas along the line of contact were further designated for troop withdrawal in 2020, during the latest Normandy Four meeting.

Yet, it is not enough, Putin added, questioning in particular Kiev's reluctance to pull its forces out from the entire line of contact in Donbass. "It was Kiev that cut the Donbass off by imposing a blockade of this territory," Putin told the media conference.

"We see how such people [like this terrorist] are freely roaming the European capitals," Putin told reporters at a Q&A event in Moscow on Thursday.

"And what will happen if people who are currently sitting in [prison] camps [for terrorists in Syria] come to you? Would you like that? Would allow them to freely walk in your cities too?"

Putin said there should be comprehensive cooperation between Moscow and Western states on tackling extremists. He reminded everyone that Moscow alerted the US about Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev before the brothers bombed the Boston Marathon in 2013.

"We requested for them to be extradited [to Russia] and said they were dangerous. We were then simply ignored... And here you had criminals like that strolling through Berlin."

"This system does not push a nation to any form of aggression but only helps it defend its territory."

Besides, such a development would not significantly affect the regional or global balance of power as China is capable of creating such a system on its own, Putin argued. Russia only helps to develop it faster.

While little is known about the early warning system developed for China, such complexes usually involve a network of ground-based radars and orbital satellites. The devices are used for long-range detection of missile launches, giving a nation's air defenses the maximum time to respond to a sudden strike. Since it takes a matter of minutes for a strategic missile to reach its target, such a system is a game-changer, significantly increasing the chances of repelling a massive - and in all likelihood, nuclear - strike.

"The Soviet Union was always buying grain, we were one of the largest buyers of grain, wheat. I would like to mention that today Russia is the largest supplier of wheat to the world market, we are number one," he said, adding: "We are ahead of the United States and Canada."

According to data published by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service on Thursday, grain harvest in Russia increased by 6.5 percent this year, up to 120.6 million tons in net weight. The production figure is better than that projected by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture.

Putin earlier said that Russia has ensured its independence on the global wheat market. According to the Russian president, enormous natural resources should serve as a guarantee for high-quality food production and should be used specifically to increase the production of organic, non-GMO food products.

"I think we will find an agreement with Ukraine on gas," he said during his press conference, adding "there's no desire to escalate this situation with energy."

According to the president, Russian gas transit through Ukraine will continue despite the construction of alternative pipelines because Moscow itself is interested in keeping the route.

Putin's words come as the US Senate approved a $738 billion defense budget this week, which includes funds to "counteract Russia" in different spheres, as well as sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, and military assistance to Ukraine.

"They practically never give money - they only give guarantees for possible loans, and this is not real money. There is no real support, and the IMF, which is ruled by the US, requires that all discounts on energy resources, including gas, be canceled," said Putin. As a result, Ukraine's citizens will see more gas price hikes, he added.

"They accuse us of something in relation to Ukraine. They claim they want to help. But what do they want us to do? Help Ukraine replenish its budget at Russia's expense? Give them money yourself, give good loans at good rates for a long period," the Russian president suggested.

During Thursday's Q&A session in Moscow, reporters asked Putin what events affected him the most during his years in power. The president said that the "most difficult" moments for him personally were the two major terrorist attacks in Moscow and the city of Beslan in the North Ossetia region in southern Russia in the early 2000s.

"I will never forget it," Putin said.

The first tragedy occurred in October 2002, when Chechen militants took 916 people hostage in the Dubrovka Theater Center in Moscow. The standoff lasted for nearly four days, after which 130 people died and others were freed, as SWAT teams stormed the building and killed all the militants.

In 2004 in Beslan, terrorists took more than 1,000 students and teachers hostage in a school during celebrations of the beginning of the school year. More than 330 of them died during a three-day siege. All of the terrorists were killed, except for one attacker who was captured alive and sentenced to life in prison.

When asked about the brightest moments, Putin preferred to talk about the most important achievements, among which he stressed growing incomes.

Trump noted the difference as he fired back at Democrats at a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan.

"We did not lose one Republican vote and three Democrats voted for us," he said. "The Republican Party has never been so affronted but they have never been so united as they are right now."

"Think of it, three Democrats went over to our side, no Republicans - it's unheard of."

Taking aim at the impeachment saga itself, Trump did not mince words, calling it "illegal, unconstitutional and partisan," and predicting it would spell the end of the Democratic Party since Democrats "have branded themselves with an eternal mark of shame."

"The do-nothing Democrats are declaring their deep hatred and disdain for the American voter. This lawless partisan impeachment is a political suicide march for the Democratic Party"

Voting "present" instead of "yes" or "no" in Wednesday's full House vote for two impeachment articles passed in committee last week, Gabbard became one of only a tiny minority of Democrats to swim against the current in her own party.

"I could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country," Gabbard said in a lengthy statement after the vote.

"This is just political infighting. A party that lost the elections, the Democrats, now seeks to achieve its goals with some other means. They first accused Trump of colluding with Russia but later it turned out that there was no collusion and it could not be used as a reason to impeach him, so they came up with accusations related to some alleged pressure he exerted on Ukraine..."

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