Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that those who attack the country will "have their teeth knocked out." Putin was speaking at a government meeting when he made the strong comment saying Russia's enemies were looking to clip its wings every time the nation grew stronger. He didn't name the country's adversaries explicitly, but it comes at a time of difficult relations with the West. Putin said that "everyone wants to bite us somewhere or to bite off something from us. But they — those who are going to do it — should know that we will knock out their teeth so that they cannot bite." "It is obvious, and the key to this is the development of our armed forces. But I would like to stress once again that we are not going the way of militarizing our economy." Putin also noted that foreign efforts to contain Russia date back centuries. Even after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia, the world's largest country by landmass, is "too big for some", Putin said. The 68-year-old Russian leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, is known not to mince words during public meetings. Tensions between Moscow and the West are high over a litany of issues, including Russia's troop buildup on Ukraine's border, interference in US elections and other perceived hostile activities. — Agencies
