Putin rejects blame on Moscow for Kyrgyzs unrest

Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday rejected claims that Russia bore responsibility for the rise in unrest in Kyrgyzstan.

"Neither Russia nor Russian officials are in any way connected to these events," Putin said, according to remarks carried by Interfax.

But Putin also went on to criticize Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, saying that he had made the "same missteps" as his predecessor Askar Akayev.

His comment came after Kyrgyzstan alleged that influential state Russian media were responsible for the escalation of the violence in the anti-government demonstrations. Russian media had in unusually sharp tones criticized authoritarian style of Bakiyev.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/317555,putin-rejects-blame-on-moscow-for-kyrgyzs-unrest.html.