Putin threatens Latvia: “Those who treat parts of their population like pigs should not be surprised if there is a backlash” | War Ukraine and Russia

LOOK. Putin threatens Latvia: “I don’t believe happiness comes to those who pursue such a policy”

A quarter of the population in Latvia has Russian roots. The Russian president accuses the Latvian government of discriminating against the country’s Russian minority. He has now threatened consequences.

“I do not believe that happiness comes to those who pursue such a policy,” the Russian leader said in Moscow. Anyone who treats parts of their population “indecently” should not be surprised if this turns against them. Putin made the statements on Monday during a meeting of the Russian Human Rights Council.

Many Russians are not Latvian citizens, but have the status of non-citizens. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Latvia introduced language tests for these non-citizens to assess knowledge of Latvian. Among other things, there is a threat to withdraw the residence permit.

Putin showed understanding for the fact that every country requires its residents to have a certain basic knowledge of culture and language. However, the status of non-citizens is a “legal flaw,” he said. Moscow will shape its relationship accordingly with states that discriminate against Russians, it said.

“If they want to implement such a policy against people who want to live in that country, work there, do good and they are treated like pigs, then they themselves will end up being treated like pigs in their own country,” Putin threatened.

Previously, the Kremlin used the alleged oppression of Ukraine’s Russian-speaking population as a pretext to justify the invasion.