Putin II

O Neo-Czar (por falar nisso, que bom teria sido para todos, "termos" tido um Czar em todo o século 20 na Rússia, não?) responde:

BBC: "If you look at newspapers of 100 years ago, you see how, at the time, colonialist states justified their policies in Africa or in Asia. They talked of their civilising role, of the white man's mission," he said.

"If you change the word 'civilising' to 'democratisation', you find the same logic, you can read the same things in the press today."

Mr Putin also said Moscow was ready to listen to "well-intentioned criticism", according to a transcript of his interview with NBC released by the Kremlin.

Pointing to the fact that he was elected directly by the Russian people, he asked how that can be seen as undemocratic.

But he stressed that Russia would "categorically object to using all possible levers, including the idea that our society needs democratisation, for interfering in our internal affairs".

He called Mr Cheney's criticism of Russia's record "a failed hunting shot".

Mr Putin's remark apparently referred to errant shot by Mr Cheney during a hunting trip on a ranch in Texas in February."