Nobody and nothing will stop Russia's advance to stronger democracy

Nobody and nothing will stop Russia's advance to stronger democracy and human rights and liberties, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday in his state of the nation address to the Federal Assembly. He said terrorism was one of the gravest threats to humankind.

"Terrorism threatens the life and rights of the people. Terrorism stands in the way of economic and social progress. Today, international terrorists are trying to provoke chaos and destabilize regional situation. Regrettably, Russia is not an exception" to this rule, said the president.

He pointed out that, despite such provocations, including the recent assassination of Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov and the attempt to disorganize the work of the legally elected bodies of power in Chechnya, Russia's policy of combating terrorism would remain consistent and would not be changed. "Nobody and nothing will stop Russia's advance to stronger democracy," said Putin.

At the same time, the struggle against terrorism cannot be used as an argument for curtailing human rights and hindering human interaction, said the president.

In his words, the task of strengthening the counter-terrorism coalition is a priority in Russia. "At the same time, the struggle against terrorism cannot be used as an argument for curtailing human rights and hindering human interaction on the international scene," said the head of state.