Russian President Vladimir Putin and film director Alexander Sokurov argued over manifestations of nationalism in the North Caucasus at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC) held yesterday, December 9. During the discussion, Mr. Sokurov proposed to release “everyone who no longer wants to live with us in the same state,” and the president said that his interlocutor “should have thought well,” and called his words inadmissible. Later, the presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Mr. Putin does not tolerate unprofessional discussions on sensitive topics. Alexander Sokurov replied in absentia that the president could not understand his words.
At a meeting between the president and members of the HRC, Mr. Sokurov reminded Vladimir Putin of the protests in Ingushetia over the transfer of part of the republic’s territory to Chechnya in 2018. The President replied that “we have two thousand territorial claims in the country,” and asked a rhetorical question about whether the Russian people are interested in the disintegration of Russia. After the controversy, the president invited the director to a personal meeting and said that he would be happy to have a discussion with him.
“The president reacted quite harshly, because the director, unfortunately, was very unprofessional and without knowledge of the subject began to touch on very important, delicate topics,” the president’s press secretary told the Daily Storm. “This is what the president does not tolerate. But he was straight to him (to the director. – “B”) said about it “, – said Mr. Peskov.
“He (the president. – “B”) in vain is offended – that’s what I can say. He is offended in vain. He did not understand, he could not understand what I was saying. And in vain he takes offense, “- said Mr. Sokurov” Gazeta.ru “.
More details about the meeting can be found in the material of Kommersant, The Council for the Rights of the President.
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