UPDATE: VTB CEO says West wages economic war on Russia to replace Putin

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DAVOS, Jan 24 (PRIME) -- The West has unleashed an economic war on Russia, and wants to oust President Vladimir Putin with the help of the sanctions, Andrei Kostin, CEO of the country’s second largest bank VTB, told reporters on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

“I think that this is what the West wants. I think that they want to exert huge pressure on Russia with the sanctions so that the Russian Federation replaces the government and the president with someone who is more suitable for them. I think that it is an economic war, not just a trade war when you restrict imports or exports slightly,” he said.

“This actually is a rather large-scale attack on Russia and on the Russian society with big pressure exerted on the economy. It is a big economic war, and I am speaking seriously, and we all will take this very seriously,” he said.

He said he was not afraid of any personal restrictions, but was concerned with a possible increase of sanction pressure on the bank.

“I’m too old to fear for myself. But yes, I am afraid for the bank. And I am talking seriously,” he said.

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