Putin: Western sanctions show Russia has no oligarchs

MOSCOW, Nov 24 (PRIME) -- Sanctions introduced by Western countries and targeted against Russian businessmen close to President Vladimir Putin have demonstrated that Russia lacks oligarchs, or businessmen who could influence politics, Putin told PRIME in an interview Monday.

“They’ve wrongly assumed that I have personal business interests due to relations with people on the list. Americans meant to hurt me by pressurizing them. This is far from being true,” Putin said,

“I think that we have put an end to the so-called oligarchy. Because what is that? Money that influences politics. This is not the case for Russia, I can say with certainty. No oligarchic structures have replaced the government.”

He said that the sanctions against individuals are a severe human rights abuse.

“What do they have to do with my taking decisions on the Crimea? Nothing at all!”

“They knew nothing. Not in the very least! … They were rapped on the knuckles for nothing… That’s a direct abuse of human rights!” Putin said, adding that some businessmen went to court “not to protect themselves, but to demonstrate the illegality of the decisions.”

“If U.S. and European courts are really independent and unbiased, decisions will be in their favor, if not … A wonderful litmus paper!”

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