Putin Sees double Standard' in Us Capitol Riot Prosecutions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the US of applying double standards to its handling of capital mobs. He said it was wrong to charge Americans for “political demands” while criticizing the US crackdown on anti-government protests abroad. At the Business Forum in St. Petersburg, Putin set low expectations for a summit with US President Joe Biden in Geneva, Switzerland.

He said there would be no breakthrough when the two met on June 16

He also denied any suggestion that a recent cyberattack on American companies started in Russia and denied allegations that Moscow intervened in US elections. What did Putin mean by 'double standard'? Putin has withheld his most horrific criticism of the US accusations of anti-government protests in Moscow's regional ally Belarus. He counterattacked, alleging that Capitol mobs were being treated unfairly. "They weren't just mobs of robbers and mobs," Putin said of Trump supporters who stormed Congress on January 6 and temporarily suspended a session to prove Biden as the winner of last November's election. “They came with political demands.”

When a forum host for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum suggested that President Putin could see his comments about the Capitol riots being banned on US social media platforms, the Russian leader countered, "I don't hesitate to exist," the audience's response applauded It's blocked somewhere. "Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the capitol mobs were being "persecuted" by the US government. About 500 suspects were arrested in the riot, most of them entering or staying in restricted buildings or premises. Many have been released before trial, but some remain in solitary confinement.

Biden's own Democrat, Senator Elizabeth Warren, said some defendants were being treated "cruelly". Putin also blamed the West for the Russian authorities' response to anti-Kremlin protests, including imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Earlier this year, opposition protests across Russia were quelled with crackdowns. Thousands of people were detained while riot police beat and dragged protesters away. The Russian leader said protesters in Europe were faced with much stronger police response, with some shooting in the eyes by what they mocked as "democratic rubber bullets."

It's not clear what he was talking about, but many French protesters were blinded by rubber bullets fired by police at a so-called yellow vest rally that began in late 2018. What did Putin say about the summit with Biden? The Russian leader's remarks came ahead of his first meeting with President Biden on 16 June after the latter election. Putin said at the meeting that he expected "no breakthrough" to improve the "very low level" of relations between the two countries.

In March, Moscow summoned the U.S. ambassador after President Biden said that Russia would pay the price for obstructing U.S. elections in 2020. "There are no problems with the US, but with us," the Russian leader said in a separate interview with state-run One TV station on Friday. He also accused the US of oppressing the Russian economy and attempting to influence domestic politics. "It wants to capture our progress and talk about it openly," Putin said. However, he suggested that the summit could focus on areas of mutual interest, such as climate change, the coronavirus pandemic, and terrorism.

Despite the harsh words, the Russian leader praised Biden as "an experienced politician who has been involved in politics all his life." What else did Putin deny? Putin has rejected claims that Russian hackers may have been involved in cyberattacks on US pipelines last month and on meat processing plants last week. “I heard about meat plants,” he said. "This is nonsense. We all understand that it's ridiculous." "Pipeline?" He added. "It's equally absurd." He said the accusations were "likely from people who wanted to create new conflicts before meeting Biden."

Putin also denied last month that under the orders of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, Russian secret agents had any role in the diversion of planes to Minsk. Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, was arrested after a Ryanair plane landed. In a tearful appearance on state TV this week, Protasevich praised President Alexander Lukashenko and acknowledged an attempt to overthrow him. His family said his confession was coerced. Human rights groups and activists also said he was tortured.