Putin indifferent to personal sanctions from 'empire of lies'

Western countries trying to implement sanctions against Russia are an "empire of lies," President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting devoted to the economic crisis in Russia.

"I invited you to talk about issues related to the economy and finance. [Prime Minister] Mikhail Vladimirovich [Mishustin] and I discussed this topic, bearing in mind, of course, the sanctions that the so-called Western community is now, <...> this empire of lies is trying to implement against our country," said Putin.

When commenting about the sanctions that were imposed against President Putin directly after the beginning of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, Peskov said:

"He is indifferent about them. They (documents on the imposition of sanctions. — ed.) contain absurd provisions on assets and so on, but everyone knows that the president does not have any assets, other than those that he declares every year — a [car] trailer and an apartment,” said Peskov.

The decision to impose sanctions against the president of the Russian Federation is absurd and will not lead to a solution to the problems, he added.

"The very fact of sanctions against the head of state is no less absurd and very short-sighted — that's what I could say,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

Peskov acknowledged the severity of the sanctions, but said that Russia would be able to compensate for the damage and respond to such restrictions.

"These are heavy sanctions, they are problematic, but Russia has the necessary potential to compensate for the damage from these sanctions. <…> Russia's responses will be lined up in terms of the expediency of our own interests," Peskov added.

Kremlin declines to comment on possibility of direct Russia-NATO clash

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the threat of a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO after Putin ordered to put the nation's strategic deterrence forces on combat duty.