Putin: I’m being picked on for no reason

VLADIMIR Putin claimed Russia was being ‘picked on’ yesterday as he warned the West not to cross his ‘red lines’.

With his troops massed near Ukraine – and as dozens were detained at rallies across the country in support of Putin critic Alexei Navalny – the Russian president used his state of the nation speech to project a message of strength and defiance.

‘We want good relations… and really don’t want to burn bridges,’ he said. ‘But if someone mistakes our good intentions for indifference or weakness and intends to burn down or even blow up these bridges, they should know that Russia’s response will be asymmetrical, swift and harsh.’

He continued: ‘I hope that no one dares to cross the red line in respect to Russia... and we will determine where it is in each specific case.’ Mr Putin claimed that ‘ some countries’ were ‘picking on Russia for any reason and, most often, for no reason at all’, adding: ‘ Organisers of any provocations that threaten our core security interests will regret what they have done like they’ve never regretted anything for a long time.’

Mr Putin did not mention Mr Navalny in his speech. Nearly 300 people were detained at protests across Russia in support of the jailed politician, who is on hunger strike.