Putin calls claims Moscow is provoking protests in major European cities ‘clear overkill,’ saying some leaders blame the U.S. and Russia for domestic unrest

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected accusations that Moscow is provoking protests in major European cities, describing them as “clear overkill.”

He said the accusations reflect some European leaders’ inability to take responsibility for domestic issues. Rather than analyze the root causes of the unrest, Putin argued, they choose to shift blame onto the United States and Russia.