Today’s exchange between Putin and Sergey Naryshkin, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia
TRANSCRIPT
Putin: ”Are you offering to commence a negotiation process?”
Naryshkin: “No. I…”
P: “Or to recognize their sovereignty?”
N: “I… I…”
P: “Just say it as it is”
N: “I will support the proposal about… recognition…”
P: “You will support or you do support? Sergey, just say it as it is.”
N: “I do support the proposal”
P: “Then say it as it is. Yes or no”
N: “[barely audible] yes…”
P: “You do support?…”
N: ”I do support the proposal about Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics joining Russian Federation.”
Minister of Defense of #Belarus Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin: Russian troops will stay in Belarus because “Presidents of Belarus and Russian Federation have decided” to do so.
Two things to note in that announcement:
- Minister of Defense of **Belarus** cites President of **Russian Federation** as a decision maker - officially Lieutenant General Khrenin is not a subordinate of Mr Putin;
- Russian flag on photo.
“Due to the increase in military activity near the external borders of the Union State and the aggravation of the situation in the Donbas the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation have decided to continue checks of the response forces of the Union State