PARIS (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied having any links to offshore accounts and is describing the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of Western efforts to weaken Russia.
Putin, speaking Thursday at a media forum in St. Petersburg, says even though his name didn’t figure in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm, Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses.
Putin described the allegations as part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government.
Putin said his longtime friend, cellist Sergei Roldugin, who figured in the Panama Papers as the owner of $2 billion in offshore assets, has done nothing wrong. He said he was proud of Roldugin, adding that the musician spent his personal money to advance cultural projects in Russia.
of course not… as a master ex-KGB agent I know about plausible deniability…
Your best pal, with minimal visible means of support, owns $2 billion in assets, and you’re still able to say something like this with a straight face. Congratulations!
Also, if this was a plot to weaken russia, it sure was a complicated one, what with the going back in time 40 years to set up a law firm and all…
Who you goin’ to believe, me or the lying documents!
One thing Putin, while you may not be named in the Panama Papers, everyone around you is.
Almost –
Who you gonna believe, me or the 2.6 terrabytes of lying documents!
I, for one, will give the benefit of the doubt to Putin on this one, since he’s never given us occasion in the past to question his veracity.